Being a dear, common friend to two bitter foes is a near-impossible task. To have got both the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party on the same side for the vote on the Opposition’s resolution against Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail was no mean achievement on the part of the Congress, but the situation was too good to last. Expectedly, the SP and the BSP are now pulling in different directions on the proposed constitutional amendment to provide for reservation in promotion in government service for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; the Congress can only watch helplessly as the ground beneath its feet is threatening to give way. Both the supporting parties are equally valuable, and the leading constituent of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre cannot afford to lose either of them. With the exit of the Trinamool Congress from the UPA, the government’s numbers in the Lok Sabha are shaky. This is no time to take allies or supporting parties for granted. Unlike the FDI issue, where the stakes for the SP and the BSP were not all that high, the reservation issue is their bread and butter. Try as it might, the Congress will find no room for a compromise.
The SP, which has its constituency among the Backward Classes, is standing firm against the bill. However, the BSP, with its support base among the Scheduled Castes, wants the amendment adopted immediately. The SP reckons that if SC and ST officers are allowed quotas in promotion, the OBCs will be among those affected adversely. After having tied his fortunes to the UPA on the FDI resolution, the SP chief Mulayam Singh knows his supporters expect his party to force the Congress to defer the passing of the reservation bill. BSP leader Mayawati likewise realises this is her best chance to demonstrate to her voters that she can make the Congress do her bidding on issues that matter most to them. Indeed, after having gone for a compromise on the FDI vote, both the SP and the BSP do not want to be seen as having copped out on the reservation issue. Ms Mayawati senses the possibility of the Congress shifting to a drift-mode, using the SP as an excuse to do nothing on the reservation bill. Her warning that the BSP will take a “tough stand” if the government fails to push the bill through is thus not an empty threat. The BSP’s interests are too deeply embedded in the reservation issue for the party to go soft on the Congress now. Other than seeking to buy time, the UPA does not have any option at hand. Sooner or later, the Congress will have to choose between the SP and the BSP. The quota-in-promotion issue is not one that can be managed with a delicate balancing act.
Keywords: Parliament session, Winter session, Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Party, UPA, Kamal Nath, Ram Gopal Yadav, Quota Bill, SC/ST reservation bill, BSP, quota-in-promotion issue, coalition politics
The very reason the congress has to blame itself for its precarious
position is because of its policies . On one hand it claims the legacy
of Nehru and acts totally contrary to his policies. The word socialism
does not exist in congress party dictionary.Duplicity has taken over
principles.
Instead of being equated as a dear and common friends of ruling congress in spite of regional bitter enemies the two must be projected as
customers to the national systems that delivers funds when put under
pressure without any check, balances and regulations and the benefit
goes only to 1%.
Congress no doubt is caught between wrong and hard but it is not just the question of 'political favours' with disgruntled SP and BSP on FDI policy favouring Congress expecting quod pro quo from it.Question is of interests of masses who would be effected to a considerable extent because of this flamboyant game of numbers being played.It seems public interest is nowhere on cards and only concern is winability and political scores.Quota Bill in promotions if cleared would have wider ramifications and there is every chance of it being struck down as unconstitutional introduction of bill already Apex court Judgment is done away with through clichéd practice of Constitutional amendment. Besides this by creating pandemonium and not allowing discussion on bill is problematic as we usually see that such bills are passed in haste.It is on this stage that loop holes are not illumined which later on effects implementation of Acts and leads to excessive litigation.And because of this political game,precious time of Courts is wasted.So public interest should be preferred over individual political interests and every move taken must be pro bono.
UPA is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Our Political parties should not think only of their biased political
interests i.e to gain political power.As the supreme court has
justified the reservation in induction stage of job but raised some
questions about the reservation in promotion that must be well
debated in Parliament.Any policy should not be introduced which is
going to hamper the efficiency and sincerity of any organization
whatever the intention of that policy may be.
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