Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, July 19: Fresh rebellion in Samajwadi Party on Saturday dented ruling UPA's efforts to muster numbers for the July 22 trust vote with the party’s general secretary Shahid Siddiqui defecting to the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Although, his defection won’t affect the UPA during the trust vote, as he is a Rajya Sabha member, his exit may only open the floodgates of the party. Hinting at a major defection possibility, Siddiqui said that he had the support of several other SP MPs.
Explaining the reasons behind his move Siddiqui said, “Our (Muslim) votes are being used, without us getting anything in return.” His moving to the BSP indeed can be termed as a major blow to the SP and its vote bank in western UP.
"For the last one month, I have been feeling uneasy over
the nuclear deal. I am of the opinion that it is not in
national interest. I have been opposing it for the last three
years," he said.
Siddiqui, also a journalist, said that he was taking this
position heeding to the call of his conscience and would
oppose the deal to the hilt.
"I am the one who had held Bush's hand and told him that
India will not accept the deal."
Political analyst believe that the Mayawati, who drove into the capital at 1 am today morning, is keen to split the SP and erode the support base of the UPA in order to bring the government down.
She is especially keen on Muslim leaders, as part of her larger ambition to shore up the Dalit-Brahmin-Muslim votes, before she starts to stake claim for the Prime Minister’s chair – after the next elections. The Left and TDP have already come out in the open to stoke her ambition.
A visibly happy Mayawati said, “My stand is in favour of Sarva Samaj(all communities), especially Dalits and the minorities.”
“There is no deal with Shahid, I welcome him to BSP,” said a beaming Mayawati.
But the SP’s woes don’t end there as apart from Shahid, four more MPs have come out openly against the party, swearing to vote against the UPA.
The other rebels (their number is growing) are S P Singh Baghel, Lal Ahmed, Atiq Ahmed and Afzal Ansari. Reports also suggest that two more MPs are on the verge of rebelling against the party.
But, Mulayam Singh seemed unfazed and said, “Those who want to leave can do so. We are confident of winning majority.” He added that not just his flock, there were some other MPs who have come out in their support.
An emergency meet has been convened at party general secretary Amar Singh’s house to discuss the case of rebel MP’s ahead of the crucial floor test. SP with its 39 MPs has professed support to the nuke deal and the government. But, the emerging scenario may spoil its plans.
Maya for PM?
TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao met Mayawati and said the third front will try to form a non-Congress government with the BSP supremo as the prospective Prime Ministerial candidate.
Rao, whose party has three members in the Lok Sabha, attacked Congress President Sonia Gandhi, saying she is not for formation of separate state of Telengana.
"Behenji (sister Mayawati) has always given her blessing for Telengana," the TRS chief, who has been fighting for creation of the separate state out of Andhra Pradesh, told reporters after meeting the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
During the meeting, the two leaders held discussions related to the July 22 vote of confidence and devised ways in which the government could be defeated on the floor of Parliament.
Asked about the prospects of Mayawati becoming the Prime Minister, Rao said "it will be a happy moment. I was the first to suggest that she should be the Prime Minister."
Attacking Gandhi, he said she does not want formation of Telengana. "In her speech in Nellore (two days back), she said 'Jai Andhra'," Rao said.
Maya woos Gowda
With JD(S) still non-committal on its stand with regard to confidence motion, BSP leader Mayawati reached out to its chief Deve Gowda apparently to persuade the party to vote against the government.
Mayawati sent her close confidant Satish Chandra Mishra
to Gowda's residence to convey her message ahead of tomorrow's
Political Affairs Committee meeting of JD(S).
Mishra met Gowda soon after the JD(S) chief held
discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following the
latter's request for support of the three-MP-strong party.
"We talked on some important issues. The decision will be
announced soon," Mishra told reporters after his meeting with
Gowda.
The JD(S) has not made its stand clear on which way it
would vote during the confidence motion.
The former Prime Minister-led party is expected to
announce its decision tomorrow.