NEW DELHI: The Centre has again managed to balance Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party despite the UP outfits crossing swords over a discussion on promotion quota bill.
Sworn rivals SP and BSP were seated opposite each other at the all-party meeting called to discuss the logjam on FDI. In keeping with the seating arrangement, they took little time to clash over "promotion quota", a favourite with Mayawati but blocked by Mulayam Singh Yadav's men as "unconstitutional".
The faceoff between the UPA's "outside supporters", however, did not stop government managers from being all smiles as both UP parties showed surprising consensus on FDI. They said the issue of voting on FDI in multi-brand retail be left to the chair of the two Houses.
The stance taken by BSP chief Mayawati and Rajya Sabha leader Ramgopal Yadav brightened the chances of government managing a thin majority if a discussion on the policy to allow foreign retail marts is voted upon.
Mayawati struck a discordant note at the meeting by complaining that the blockade of Parliament was not allowing the constitutional amendment to restore "promotion quota". She said, "Last session, quota bill got stuck because of Coalgate and now it is because of FDI. Parliament should run since it is holding back many issues of importance."
The rivals clashed, with SP leader Naresh Aggarwal snubbing JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav who tried to broker peace by assuring support for the quota move at a later stage.
SP general secretary Rajesh Dixit said, "We will never allow promotion quota bill to be taken up. We made it clear to the government. But we are opposed to voting on any discussion on FDI in Parliament."
Consultations between SP and the government have picked up with Mulayam and Ramgopal meeting PM Manmohan Singh before the resumption of Parliament on Monday. Ramgopal is likely to become the chairman of the ethics committee in the upper House, another sign of the growing bonhomie between Congress and SP.
But the fury of the squabbling Uttar Pradesh players did not come in the way of government's comfort on FDI. Neither put the condition that it would support the Centre on FDI only if its view on promotion quota was accepted. In fact, government listed the quota bill in Rajya Sabha even if it risked provoking SP.
The Centre in September approved a constitutional amendment to ensure promotion quota after an adverse court order but failed to get it past Rajya Sabha owing to protests from SP.
SP, BSP spar over quota bill, but unite on retail FDI
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SP, BSP spar over quota bill, but unite on retail FDI
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SP, BSP spar over quota bill, but unite on retail FDI
