Plagued by differences, a meeting of the JD(U) MPs today failed to take a common stand on the Women's Reservation Bill but a majority of the party MPs in the upper House are set to vote in favour of the Bill.
Sources in the party said that five of the seven party MPs in the Rajya Sabha have agreed to vote in favour of the Bill.
Two others include George Fernandes, who is unlikely to make it to the House due to illness and expelled MP Ejaj Ali, whose term is expiring in a few months. Ali said he would vote against the Bill.
The sources said though the decision to vote in favour of the Bill in the Upper House is final, the middle-rung party leaders are still making consultations to persuade the party chief, who is a Lok Sabha MP, to accept the changed stand "in view of the changed circumstances and political pragmatism".
After a meeting of the JD(U) Parliamentary party at JD(U) President Sharad Yadav's house here this morning, senior leader Shivanand Tiwari said, "We have not been able to take any decision as of now as many of the MPs were not present
in the Parliamentary Party meeting".
Though JD(U) has traditionally been opposed to the Bill in its present form and has been asking for quota within quota for Dalits and minorities, differences could be seen among party MPs after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar supported the bill.
Kumar had a word with Yadav yesterday over the issue and is likely to discuss the issue with him once more today before the party announces its final decision here.
