Parties prefer to let UPA die a natural death

NEW DELHI: The efforts of six Seemandhra MPs to move a no-confidence motion against the UPA government are likely to fizzle out Wednesday. Though the MPs are putting up a brave face, sources said they couldn't muster the support of 55 MPs in the Lok Sabha required to seek the leave of the House to move the no-confidence motion.

Failing to get the requisite numbers, the MPs on Tuesday rushed to the well of the House and disrupted the proceedings, particularly when Speaker Meira Kumar wanted to take up the no-trust notice served by them.

The MPs privately admitted they had done so strategically to prolong the issue till Wednesday in the hope of garnering support. Congress MP from Vijayawada L Rajagopal said, 'Some MPs from Andhra Pradesh and other States are supporting us. But, we are still working on the numbers.'

With the general elections fast approaching, political parties are not taking their no-confidence move seriously.

Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was in Delhi Tuesday, wondered, 'The public has already expressed its no-confidence in the current government. Where is the need for bringing a no-confidence motion?' She reportedly met BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Advani along with YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy in Parliament.

The Seemandhra MPs had sought her support but she reportedly told them she would not be able to do so despite sympathising with them. The Left and the BJP too are against the no-trust move.

'What is the use of the motion, when hardly six months remain for the Lok Sabha elections? Even if the government is not able to prove its majority, they will continue as caretaker. Moreover, being in power, the UPA will be able to cobble together a majority, which could give it some legitimacy,' a senior Left MP reasoned.

The BJP also shares the same view that a no-trust motion would actually help the government politically as it would be able to gather sufficient numbers.

Deputy Leader of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that for a no-confidence motion to be accepted by the Chair in the Lok Sabha a certain number of members have to express their support. Prasad said the BJP will decide whether to support the motion or not if it is accepted by the Speaker.

The Samajwadi Party, a key outside supporter of the ruling UPA, is also unlikely to support the no-trust move. 'The no-confidence motion is a new development. But we have left the final decision to party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav,' a senior party leader said.

He added that the party, with 22 MPs in the Lok Sabha, was unlikely to support the motion, but 'if the government fails to prevent a vote, then the SP will have to take a final call as we are against smaller states'.

He also said the party will press for a motion in the Rajya Sabha against bifurcation of states, including Andhra Pradesh. The only party thus far to support the no-trust move is the BJD.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde hinted that the Congress high command will take action against the defiant Seemandhra MPs. 'The party will take care of it,' he told reporters. On the no-trust move, he said it was for the Speaker to take a call.

Asked if the T bill has been forwarded to the Assembly, he said it had been sent to the President through the Prime Minister and after that it would be sent to Assembly.

On whether the bill could be tabled in the current session of Parliament which will last only till Dec 20, he said the government wanted to complete the process, including presidential approval to the bill and of sending it to the Assembly for ratification. 'Let us see. Let us complete this process, then we will see,' he said.

Asked whether the Centre would set a 'bad precedent' by deciding to table the bill in Parliament without approval of the State Assembly, the Home Minister said the people of Andhra Pradesh knew long ago that Telangana would be created.

'The whole of Andhra Pradesh knew what was going to happen,' he said. Shinde said 95 companies of paramilitary will remain deployed there till Dec 31 for maintaining order.

Congress to crack whip on six MPs

Congress is likely to crack the whip on the six Seemandhra MPs for giving notice for no-confidence motion against the government. 'They (MPs) are from a disciplined force. If there is any indiscipline, the party will take care of that,' Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters. He also said it was for the Speaker to take a call on the no-trust notice.

Digvijaya may visit Hyderabad on Dec 12

State Congress affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh may be in Hyderabad on Dec 12, the day when the Assembly session begins, obviously to ensure a smooth debate on the T bill. Though it is not clear when the President will refer the bill to the Assembly, sources said it could be before Dec 12. Digvijaya asserted T process will continue despite the desperate moves by Seemandhra MPs.