The BJP and its ally in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP, had a face off in the Lok Sabha yesterday when BJP MP Sushma Swarajs vocal support to CPIs Geeta Mukherjee for the passing of the long pending Bill on giving reservation to women was vehemently opposed by BSPs Ilias Azmi, who said it was a conspiracy to thwart the Mandal Commission.
The two allies are running the Uttar Pradesh government, which is led by BSPs woman Chief Minister Mayawati.
Union railway minister Ram Vilas Paswan, the leader of the House, said the government and the Prime Minister were determined to get the Bill passed in the current session, which ends on Friday. The government however did not want to send a message that the House was divided on such an important issue.
A meeting of the leaders of all parties was called on May 7 to create a consensus on the issue, but the discussions remained inconclusive. Paswan said a second meeting would be called after Gujral returned from the SAARC summit in Male. Sushma reminded the government of Gujrals promise to pass the Bill in the current session. Azmi expressed his reservations, saying the Prime Minister was not a God and his words are not sacrosanct.