UPA falls in the grip of muscleman

The Samajwadi Party is already showing signs of keeping the UPA-II on tenterhooks, now that the DMK has officially walked out of the ruling colation. On Tuesday, the SP was assertive that its support to the UPA would continue as before. On Wednesday, some ambiguity crept into its stance and party boss Mulayam Singh Yadav said a decision on the SP’s future role would

be taken at the party’s parliamentary board meeting on Thursday morning.

Not just that it was the SP which angrily kept up the pressure on the government by forcing adjournments in both Houses of Parliament. The party MPs were protesting the continuance of UP-based Congress minister Beni Prasad Verma for his recent outburst against Mulayam Singh Yadav. Verma had said recently that the SP chief had “terrorist links”. The agitated SP legislators had disrupted proceedings in both Houses on Tuesday itself and on Wednesday they increased the decibel-level of their protests.

Later, it was the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi who intervened. She met Mulayam Singh Yadav in Parliament and urged him not to react angrily to what Verma had said. Sonia’s intervention appeared to have placated the SP leader who had spoken out angrily against Verma in the Lok Sabha. Later, even prime minister Manmohan Singh played his role in assuaging Mulayam’s hurt feelings. He assured Mulayam Singh Yadav that he would see to it that Verma retracted his statement.

Accordingly, with parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath by his side, Verma stepped out before television cameras and news persons to express his regret. Immediately, the SP camp reacted harshly saying that he had not expressed his apology and has only regretted the remark, which was not enough. But Mulayam Singh Yadav had by then calmed down.

Interestingly enough, the SP boss had a significant meeting with agriculture minister and NCP boss, Sharad Pawar. With talk of infinite permutation and combination before the polls next year, this meeting is being viewed with seriousness. It is more than clear that though the SP has not yet made up its mind on when to precipitate elections, it is exploring many options. The SP wants a Third Front to take shape during the run-up to the polls. It is banking upon the SP bagging a minimum of 40 seats in India’s most populous state and strengthening its claim for the prime ministerial position.

The reason why the SP is having second thoughts about immediate polls is it is facing a major drawback in its bastion in UP. Akhilesh Yadav has just completed one year as chief minister but his report card is not looking good. The law and order situation in the province is not quite impressive and even communal riots have taken a heavy toll in the past one year. The SP leadership is uncertain of retaining the kind of popularity which brought it to power in 2012.

@DNA