New Delhi: The Congress, sticking to its original plan will table the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha after lunch on Wednesday itself, and count on support from regional outfits like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to see the Bill through.
Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson later on Wednesday said President Pratibha Patil gave her approval for tabling the Bill from Hyderabad where she is on a ten-day visit.
The key to passing the Bill lies not with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) or the Opposition but with the BSP, Samajwadi Party and RJD.
These three parties account for 27 crucial votes in the Upper House of Parliament as the Congress does not have majority on its own or with its allies in the UPA. The BSP, Samajwadi Party, RJD and Lok Janshakti Party could tip the scales as the first three had staged a walk-out in the Lok Sabha.
That leaves the Congress-led UPA with the option of support from other smaller parties and Independents in the Rajya Sabha.
In the 245-member House, the Congress (71) along with its allies DMK (seven), National Conference (two), Mizo National Front (one), Nationalist Congress Party (seven), Nagaland People's Front (one), Rashtriya Lok Dal (one), Bodoland People's Front (one) and Trinamool Congress (six) has the support of 97 MPs. The eight nominated members are likely to go with the Government giving the UPA a support of 105 MPs.
Independent and Others account for six votes, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) one, LJP one, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) one. How these nine MPs will vote is still unclear. But if they along with the 27 MPs belonging to the BSP, Samajwadi Party and RJD abstain the strength of the Rajya Sabha comes down to 209 and the half way mark also comes down to 105.
The Opposition camp consists of 102 MPs belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (51 MPs), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (13), Communist Party of India (five), Biju Janata Dal (six), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK) (five), Asom Gana Parishad (two), Forward Block (one), Janata Dal (United)JD (eight), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (three), Shiv Sena (SS) (four) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) (four).
Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said, "Lokpal can be taken up for consideration today. Lokpal Bill may be passed today or tomorrow."
However, the Opposition has planned to protest against the delay.
Rashtrapati Bhawan is still awaiting request from the government for tabling of Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill in Rajya Sabha. Sources said there is no delay from the President's office.
Union Minister V Narayanasamy had said the Lokpal Bill will have to get presidential assent in the wake of amendments made to it in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and it can be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after that.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is in touch with the Shiv Sena, the Biju Janta Dal and the Asom Gana Parishad to finalise the strategy. The Left parties, too, are likely to oppose the Bill.
The BJP which had also raised a number of objections to the Lokpal bill was to some extent mollified because the government came out with official amendments like giving option to states to set up a Lokayukta, changing the requirement of three-fourth members to clear investigation against Prime Minister to two-third and to protect the powers of Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman in regard to MPs.
However, BJP leaders said they would review their position on Wednesday morning with the party still having strong reservation over the provision for quota for minorities in the Lokpal structure and control of Lokpal over CBI.
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