UPA divided, allies want changes in women's bill

New Delhi, March, 9 : The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government will push the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday after voting was deferred on it on Monday following unruly scenes in the Upper House by MPs belonging to the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The Samajwadi Party and the RJD have also threatened to withdraw support to the UPA Government if their demand for including a quota for Dalit, OBC and Muslim women within the 33 per cent quota proposed by the Bill is not accepted by the Government.

But now dissent from within the UPA has also started to raise its head and many Congress leaders feel the structure and timing of the Bill should be changed.

The UPA finds itself divided as allies and some senior congress leaders are insisting on a need for consensus while the Bharatiya Janata Dal (BJP) and Left are demanding a discussion before vote.

To search for the elusive consensus Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for an all-party meeting. He will also meet with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Janata Dal (U) President Sharad Yadav.

The Yadavs also met the Prime Minister on Monday but the meeting ended inconclusively.

"If the Bill is passed in its current form then we will withdraw support (to the UPA Government)," said Mulayam at a joint press conference with Lalu in New Delhi on Monday.

Some within the government are worried that with a wafer thin majority once the RJD and Samajwadi Party withdraws support, the UPA will be dependant on eccentric Independents and many of its bold plans may have to be put on hold.

There's also the danger of the Finance Bill collapsing.

Sources say that some Congress MPs feel that the timing is not right for the Bill.

With Lok Sabha elections far away, the Women's Reservation Bill can reap no immediate electoral benefits like the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal.

The Women's Reservation Bill could be the Congress' victory mantra.

Moreover, there is the problem of allies too with sources saying that at a meeting with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the Prime Minister, Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear that arm twisting could be no way to get the Bill passed.

Mamata also insisted on consensus and to keep in mind the concerns of the minorities and backwards. She is also uneasy about sharing the space with Left, who are also supporting the Bill.

For the Congress, though, it is a tough call.

On one hand is the threat of a weakened government and angry allies and on the other getting the Women's Reservation Bill passed is the dream of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Hence the Government is keen to go ahead with the Bill

"Congress President has made it very clear that we are committed to this Bill. We are going to bring this Bill and pass it," said Union law Minister Veerappa Moily, who tabled the Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Rajya Sabha is likely to take up the bill again on Tuesday and it may see a repeat of Monday. Sources suggest that the Government may compromise a bit to take everyone along.