NEW DELHI: Congress
is expected to issue a whip to its MPs to be present during the Lokpal
debate next week, signalling that all-round hostility to the proposed
ombudsman witnessed in Parliament on Thursday has not affected its
decision to enact the bill.
The Congress whip will follow the diktat BJP has already issued to MPs, clarifying that national parties were positively disposed towards Lokpal in contrast to regional outfits who view it as a super-constitutional body which would be a threat to the political class.
Coming in the backdrop of Anna Hazare-Congress tiff, Congress's direction to its MPs to vote may be seen as an attempt in the ruling combination to dispel any notion of softness towards Lokpal, a perception reinforced by old ally Lalu Prasad slamming the bill and demanding that the ruling party let its members vote as per their conscience.
A whip can be violated by MPs only at the cost of loss of membership.
Sources said Lalu's performance in the House could potentially be discomfiting for the ruling alliance. Besides being an old ally, troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee had been interacting with him regularly during the standing committee meetings on Lokpal. The backdrop was easy fodder for claims that Lalu was only doing the government's bidding.
UPA's thin majority has raised the question of numbers in the event of BJP taking a tough line against the version presented in the House. BJP's support would depend on government's accommodation of its objection to minority quota and imposition of Centre's Lokayuktas on states, and its demand to limit quota to less than 50%.
But Congress is confident that it can carry the bill through. While its numbers are expected to stay intact, sources said Hazare's attack on the Centre's bill would help rally the political class in its favour.
While MPs across party lines feel Lokpal is a bad idea which could turn into a genie, Hazare's criticism would convey a message that the government had not completely capitulated to the "street" and the bill was not as stringent as feared. It could dilute the anger of many small parties sceptical of the legislation.
In this context, the planned agitation in Mumbai is seen as crucial, as it would coincide with the debate in Parliament. A senior leader said support in Parliament would show the moment Hazare starts slamming the Lokpal bill during his protest.
While some accommodation of BJP's concerns like on Lokayuktas is possible, Congress believes the opposition party's attack on "minority quota" would help gravitate "secular" outfits towards the government. Almost all regional outfits which expressed anger over Lokpal strongly backed reservation for minorities, isolating the BJP.
The Congress whip will follow the diktat BJP has already issued to MPs, clarifying that national parties were positively disposed towards Lokpal in contrast to regional outfits who view it as a super-constitutional body which would be a threat to the political class.
Coming in the backdrop of Anna Hazare-Congress tiff, Congress's direction to its MPs to vote may be seen as an attempt in the ruling combination to dispel any notion of softness towards Lokpal, a perception reinforced by old ally Lalu Prasad slamming the bill and demanding that the ruling party let its members vote as per their conscience.
A whip can be violated by MPs only at the cost of loss of membership.
Sources said Lalu's performance in the House could potentially be discomfiting for the ruling alliance. Besides being an old ally, troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee had been interacting with him regularly during the standing committee meetings on Lokpal. The backdrop was easy fodder for claims that Lalu was only doing the government's bidding.
UPA's thin majority has raised the question of numbers in the event of BJP taking a tough line against the version presented in the House. BJP's support would depend on government's accommodation of its objection to minority quota and imposition of Centre's Lokayuktas on states, and its demand to limit quota to less than 50%.
But Congress is confident that it can carry the bill through. While its numbers are expected to stay intact, sources said Hazare's attack on the Centre's bill would help rally the political class in its favour.
While MPs across party lines feel Lokpal is a bad idea which could turn into a genie, Hazare's criticism would convey a message that the government had not completely capitulated to the "street" and the bill was not as stringent as feared. It could dilute the anger of many small parties sceptical of the legislation.
In this context, the planned agitation in Mumbai is seen as crucial, as it would coincide with the debate in Parliament. A senior leader said support in Parliament would show the moment Hazare starts slamming the Lokpal bill during his protest.
While some accommodation of BJP's concerns like on Lokayuktas is possible, Congress believes the opposition party's attack on "minority quota" would help gravitate "secular" outfits towards the government. Almost all regional outfits which expressed anger over Lokpal strongly backed reservation for minorities, isolating the BJP.
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