The 13-party alliance led by the Left parties appeared divided Tuesday about bringing a cut motion even as they jointly protested the rising prices of essential commodities at Parliament House.
The 13 parties, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Samajwadi Party (SP), have called for a nationwide shutdown to protest the price rise issue and the United Progressive Alliance government’s economic policies.
However, the parties were clearly divided staging the sit-in at parliament. While MPs from the four Left parties, the BJD and the AIADMK demonstrated in front of the main gate of Parliament House, the SP, RJD and TDP protested before the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the premises.
The Left parties are determined to bring the cut motion in the house Tuesday. Communist Party of India-Marxist’s M.B. Rajesh told IANS: “We will bring the cut motion.”
However, SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had a different view.
Asked whether the RJD and SP would support the Left decision to bring the cut motion demanding a rollback in prices of fuels and fertilisers, he said: “We are observing a Bharat Bandh today, then why should we run the house today?”
His reply indicated that they would not join the Left opposition in their demand for a cut motion.
TDP leader Nama Nageshwar Rao told IANS: “Our party would support the Left in bringing a cut motion.”
Later, MPs from the RJD and SP joined the Left parties to raise slogans against the UPA government’s economic polices.
The demand for the grant for the general budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier this session is expected be taken up for voting on Tuesday.
