Revealed: how sp, rjd may scuttle lokpal bill in rajya sabha

Revealed: how sp, rjd may scuttle lokpal bill in rajya sabha


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Sources in the two parties, whose MPs walked out of the Lok Sabha before voting on Tuesday, said their MPs may vote against the measure in the Upper House today. The Samajwadi Party, which


has five MPs, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal with four MPs may vote against the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha today. Sources in the party, whose 22 MPs walked out of the Lok Sabha before


voting on the Lokpal Bill on Tuesday, said their MPs may vote against the measure in the Upper House today. Like the SP, if the BSP with 18 MPs and the RJD with 4 MPs also oppose the bill


and if decide to vote against it, then the government will have serious concerns over the fate of the bill's passage. In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, the Congress and its allies do not


have a majority with its number placed at 92 and needs the support of the MPs of these parties supporting the government from outside. At least a walk out by them could help the government,


but not a vote against. RJD sources said the bill was "doomed" because "nobody" wants it and the party may also vote against it. BSP leader in Rajya Sabha Satish Chandra


Mishra said the party has not taken a final decision and its strategy will be revealed at the time of voting in the House. But to say that the party MPs will walk out of the House is wrong,


he said. The Congress' ally Trinamool Congress, which is part of the UPA government and has six MPs in Rajya Sabha, has moved amendments to the bill that it considers encroaches on the


federal structure of the Constitution and the state’s rights.  "We have already submitted our amendments. We are going to press for it," Mukul Roy, Trinamool leader and Minister of


State for Shipping, said. The bill passed by Lok Sabha two days ago has provisions for setting up of Lok Ayuktas in the states with the consent of state governments. Asked whether the six


party MPs will vote against the bill, he said the question does not arise as of now. "After the discussions and after amendments are over, the question of voting will arise. But till


now, Trinamool is firm in its opinion that Part III of the bill be deleted from the original bill," Roy said. "We are just pressing for the deletion of Lok Ayukta part, we have no


problem with Lokpal part," he said, adding they are in favour of Lok Ayuktas but it should be done by states and not the Centre. He said he and other party leaders have spoken to


Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to sort out the issue.