On the other hand, Lalu and Mulayam think that by asking for reservation within reservation, they have got a potent tool for surviving another day. They have started drawing up a strategy to play the long-defunct MY (Muslim-Yadav) card again. Lalu has, at least on principle, also joined ranks with JD(U), which is besieged by internal strife in Bihar.
Talking to TSI, Lalu said, “Congress does not want the backward class to come to the mainstream. If the desired amendments are not brought in, we’ll carry on our struggle both inside and outside Parliament.” He adds that most of the Congress Lok Sabha MPs who look visibly happy are actually deeply disgruntled and many Congress leaders in Bihar are in touch with him and given a chance, they will contest the election on RJD’s symbol.
Lalu has already started projecting the Bill as “anti-minority” in the Muslim majority districts. His newly turned fan, Mulayam, told TSI, “Our demand is just and the arrogant Congress does not want backward class and minority women to contest the elections. The Congress’ attitude on the issue was exposed in the last elections when it gave only 10 percent seats to female candidates.” On the other hand, SP general secretary Mohan Singh is a bit more confident. He claims that parties that supported the Bill will see their graph plummeting while SP’s stature has grown following the protest.
BJP’s quandary is more complex. The issue is a bone of contention between the RSS and non-RSS lobbies in the party. Although it supported the Bill on the clear instruction of the RSS, a section of the party that has no love lost for the Nagpur brigade has raised the banner of revolt. People like Shatrughan Sinha, Shahnawaz Hussain and Hukumdev Narain Yadav have made it clear to the party that even if it issues a whip during the vote division in the Lower House, they will not honour the whip. Talking to TSI, Shatrughan Sinha said, “While some people are using verbal jugglery to take the credit for the Bill, revolt is brewing within the ranks. If it comes to a division of vote in the Lok Sabha, a lot of them will vote defying the party line.” The scenario would be something that the party will try to avoid as it cannot afford to take disciplinary action against such a large number of MPs. However, on his part, party spokesperson Ravi Shanker Prasad told TSI that there was absolute discipline in the party and that he was pretty sure that the whip, if issued, will not be dishonored.
Neither is Congress untouched by the after-effects. One party MP, on condition of anonymity, maintained the rotation scheme will create confusion. He said if an MP is sure that his seat would be going to go to a female candidate in the next term, how responsible would he be during his five years as MP? SP's Mohan Singh is worried that Parliament will be “female dominated” in a few years.
However, the thing that is baffling everyone is the stony silence of Rahul Gandhi on this issue. Some people feel that since Sonia wanted the Bill to be her moment of glory, the scion opted to stay out of the limelight.
Others maintain that Rahul is too focussed on the organisational elections in several states to worry about the Women's Bill.
Rahul wants the Youth Congress elections to be held just after the budget session of Parliament. Therefore the Veerappa Moily-led ‘Opportunity between Challenges’ committee is sure that following these elections, there will be the birth of a new Congress.
Talking to TSI, one of its office bearers, Shamin said, “The representation of backward class, women and minorities will be increased at the organisational level and it will also be made clear who would be fighting Assembly and Parliamentary elections from the different seats in the districts.”
As a whole, the Congress party is confident that the Bill will be passed by the Lok Sabha. Moily is willing to incorporate a few changes in the Bill. He is sure that it will be ready to be presented in the Lower House next month. In the interim period, the Congress is likely to renew its efforts to make the likes of Mulayam and Lalu see reason.
Talking to TSI, Lalu said, “Congress does not want the backward class to come to the mainstream. If the desired amendments are not brought in, we’ll carry on our struggle both inside and outside Parliament.” He adds that most of the Congress Lok Sabha MPs who look visibly happy are actually deeply disgruntled and many Congress leaders in Bihar are in touch with him and given a chance, they will contest the election on RJD’s symbol.
Lalu has already started projecting the Bill as “anti-minority” in the Muslim majority districts. His newly turned fan, Mulayam, told TSI, “Our demand is just and the arrogant Congress does not want backward class and minority women to contest the elections. The Congress’ attitude on the issue was exposed in the last elections when it gave only 10 percent seats to female candidates.” On the other hand, SP general secretary Mohan Singh is a bit more confident. He claims that parties that supported the Bill will see their graph plummeting while SP’s stature has grown following the protest.
BJP’s quandary is more complex. The issue is a bone of contention between the RSS and non-RSS lobbies in the party. Although it supported the Bill on the clear instruction of the RSS, a section of the party that has no love lost for the Nagpur brigade has raised the banner of revolt. People like Shatrughan Sinha, Shahnawaz Hussain and Hukumdev Narain Yadav have made it clear to the party that even if it issues a whip during the vote division in the Lower House, they will not honour the whip. Talking to TSI, Shatrughan Sinha said, “While some people are using verbal jugglery to take the credit for the Bill, revolt is brewing within the ranks. If it comes to a division of vote in the Lok Sabha, a lot of them will vote defying the party line.” The scenario would be something that the party will try to avoid as it cannot afford to take disciplinary action against such a large number of MPs. However, on his part, party spokesperson Ravi Shanker Prasad told TSI that there was absolute discipline in the party and that he was pretty sure that the whip, if issued, will not be dishonored.
Neither is Congress untouched by the after-effects. One party MP, on condition of anonymity, maintained the rotation scheme will create confusion. He said if an MP is sure that his seat would be going to go to a female candidate in the next term, how responsible would he be during his five years as MP? SP's Mohan Singh is worried that Parliament will be “female dominated” in a few years.
However, the thing that is baffling everyone is the stony silence of Rahul Gandhi on this issue. Some people feel that since Sonia wanted the Bill to be her moment of glory, the scion opted to stay out of the limelight.
Others maintain that Rahul is too focussed on the organisational elections in several states to worry about the Women's Bill.
Rahul wants the Youth Congress elections to be held just after the budget session of Parliament. Therefore the Veerappa Moily-led ‘Opportunity between Challenges’ committee is sure that following these elections, there will be the birth of a new Congress.
Talking to TSI, one of its office bearers, Shamin said, “The representation of backward class, women and minorities will be increased at the organisational level and it will also be made clear who would be fighting Assembly and Parliamentary elections from the different seats in the districts.”
As a whole, the Congress party is confident that the Bill will be passed by the Lok Sabha. Moily is willing to incorporate a few changes in the Bill. He is sure that it will be ready to be presented in the Lower House next month. In the interim period, the Congress is likely to renew its efforts to make the likes of Mulayam and Lalu see reason.
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