In a tactical move, the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday renominated Ms Jaya Bachchan to the Rajya Sabha.
This was a big surprise as there was widespread speculation that Ms Bachchan would be dropped due to her connection with the expelled leader, Mr Amar Singh.
Her renomination also stunned Mr Singh, who appears to be getting isolated from “old and trusted friends”, particularly the Bachchans.
While Ms Bachchan was said to be abroad, Mr Singh accused the SP chief, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, of “driving a wedge between him and the Bachchans”.
Mr Singh also “congratulated” Jaya Bhabi (Ms Bachchan) “for opting for the party in place of her devar (brother-in-law, or Mr Singh himself).”
The announcement on Ms Bachchan’s renomination was made in Lucknow by the SP’s UP unit chief, Mr Akhilesh Yadav, who is the SP chief’s son.
Ms Bachchan’s term was scheduled to end on July 4. This will, technically, be Ms Bachchan’s third term in the Upper House. She had cut off her links with Mr Amar Singh by staying away from his ‘Kshatriya rally’, which was attended by a few loyalists including Ms Jayaprada who were subsequently expelled.
Showing posts with label Samajwadi Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samajwadi Party. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
SP, RJD withdraw support to Govt.
The Government’s move to go in for Women’s Reservation Bill on Monday had its first fallout with the Samajwadi Party and the RJD announcing withdrawal of support to the coalition led by the Congress.
The decision by the SP, with 21 members in Lok Sabha, and the RJD with four, will, however, have no impact on the stability of the UPA Government. The SP and the RJD were outside supporters of the Government.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad slammed the Congress for its move to "unilaterally" go ahead with the Bill which seeks 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
"This is a political dacoity. We will not tolerate it. We are withdrawing support to the government," said Prasad with Yadav standing by his side and supporting him. He later said, "We have withdrawn support on this issue".
He, however, was evasive when asked whether a letter withdrawing support to the Government had been given to the President.
Even if both the SP and the RJD formally withdraw support by giving letters to the President, the effective strength of UPA and its outside supporters would be around 290, well beyond the 272 mark for a simple majority.
Together, the UPA partners — Congress (208), Trinamool Congress (19), DMK (18), NCP (9), National Conference (3) and Muslim League (2) — have a strength of 259.
However, with outside supporters like BSP (21), Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (1) and JDS (3) its strength goes upto 284 in Lok Sabha. It also enjoys support of some independents in the Lower House taking the total strength to around 290.
The Lok Sabha has a strength of 543.
Mr. Yadav said that both the Congress and the BJP have been against Muslim, backward and dalit women and don’t want to give reservation to them.
“They do not want women from these sections to come forward... This has been proved now. They want to perpetuate their rule...” Mr. Yadav said.
Mr. Prasad said that from the beginning the SP, the BSP, the RJD and Sharad Yadav have made it clear that they are not anti-women and against reservation to them.
“We want reservation also for the women who work in fields, work under the NREGA scheme, backward, dalits and the Muslims,” Mr. Prasad said.
“By not giving them reservation you are neglecting a large section of women in rural India,” Mr. Prasad said.
Senior RJD leader P.C. Gupta said that the party would formally send the letter of withdrawal of support to the President if the Bill was passed in the present form.
The decision by the SP, with 21 members in Lok Sabha, and the RJD with four, will, however, have no impact on the stability of the UPA Government. The SP and the RJD were outside supporters of the Government.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad slammed the Congress for its move to "unilaterally" go ahead with the Bill which seeks 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
"This is a political dacoity. We will not tolerate it. We are withdrawing support to the government," said Prasad with Yadav standing by his side and supporting him. He later said, "We have withdrawn support on this issue".
He, however, was evasive when asked whether a letter withdrawing support to the Government had been given to the President.
Even if both the SP and the RJD formally withdraw support by giving letters to the President, the effective strength of UPA and its outside supporters would be around 290, well beyond the 272 mark for a simple majority.
Together, the UPA partners — Congress (208), Trinamool Congress (19), DMK (18), NCP (9), National Conference (3) and Muslim League (2) — have a strength of 259.
However, with outside supporters like BSP (21), Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (1) and JDS (3) its strength goes upto 284 in Lok Sabha. It also enjoys support of some independents in the Lower House taking the total strength to around 290.
The Lok Sabha has a strength of 543.
Mr. Yadav said that both the Congress and the BJP have been against Muslim, backward and dalit women and don’t want to give reservation to them.
“They do not want women from these sections to come forward... This has been proved now. They want to perpetuate their rule...” Mr. Yadav said.
Mr. Prasad said that from the beginning the SP, the BSP, the RJD and Sharad Yadav have made it clear that they are not anti-women and against reservation to them.
“We want reservation also for the women who work in fields, work under the NREGA scheme, backward, dalits and the Muslims,” Mr. Prasad said.
“By not giving them reservation you are neglecting a large section of women in rural India,” Mr. Prasad said.
Senior RJD leader P.C. Gupta said that the party would formally send the letter of withdrawal of support to the President if the Bill was passed in the present form.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Amar to launch his own party, says brother
Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh’s brother Arvind Singh said that the expelled politician would launch his political party in Delhi before February 25.
An announcement to this effect would be made by Amar Singh at a press conference, Arvind Singh told newspersons here.
Deliberations were on to finalise the name of the new party and a decision on it would be taken soon, he said.
Arvind Singh, who had come out in support of his brother after his resignation from all party posts despite being at loggerheads with him earlier, said the new party would neither be an imitation of the Samajwadi Party nor would bear any resemblance to its name.
Amar Singh has had discussions with heads of different smaller political parties with a support base in eastern Uttar Pradesh to prepare political ground for his proposed party, his brother said and claimed that talks would also be held with RLD President Ajit Singh for forging an alliance.
An announcement to this effect would be made by Amar Singh at a press conference, Arvind Singh told newspersons here.
Deliberations were on to finalise the name of the new party and a decision on it would be taken soon, he said.
Arvind Singh, who had come out in support of his brother after his resignation from all party posts despite being at loggerheads with him earlier, said the new party would neither be an imitation of the Samajwadi Party nor would bear any resemblance to its name.
Amar Singh has had discussions with heads of different smaller political parties with a support base in eastern Uttar Pradesh to prepare political ground for his proposed party, his brother said and claimed that talks would also be held with RLD President Ajit Singh for forging an alliance.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Amar Singh, Jaya Prada expelled from SP
Terming Amar Singh and Jaya Prada as “intruders”, Samajwadi Party on Tuesday expelled them from the party on grounds of indulging in anti-party activities and denting its socialist image.
The decision was taken at the SP parliamentary board meeting chaired by party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav here, national general secretary and spokesman Mohan Singh told reporters.
He said the party also suspended membership of four MLAs -- Madan Chauhan, Sandeep Agarwal, Ashok Chandel and Sarvesh Singh -- all Amar Singh loyalists.
“For over a month some leaders of the party have been continuously giving statements against the SP,” Mr. Singh said.
He said that on January 31, Lok Sabha member Jaya Prada had held a press conference in which she made “indecent comments” against the SP leadership and spit venom against its policies.
“She also gave statements in support of Kalyan Singh, which the party thought had dented its secular image. Any leader, howsoever important, he or she cannot be allowed to make public statements against any political party,” he said.
“Therefore, the parliamentary board has decided to expel Jaya Prada from the primary membership of the party,” he said, adding that she was a “guided missile” of Amar Singh.
Mr. Singh said Amar Singh attempted to “deshape” the SP. “His entry in the party was capitalist and communal intrusion intended to damage the socialist movement,” he alleged.
He said that to free the party from such forces, the party decided to expel him from the primary membership with a “heavy heart”.
The SP spokesman said, “He (Amar) voluntarily floated Lok Manch, which is a parellel organisation to SP and repeatedly attempted to create a rift, engineer a split and dent the image of the party.
“SP’s policy is that of casteless politics, whereas Amar Singh attempted to promote casteist politics,” he alleged.
Mohan Singh said the party will move a petition before Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman to disqualify them from the two Houses of Parliament on grounds of indulging in anti-party activities.
He said the four MLAs, who were “conspiring to engineer a split” in the party in UP and had become followers of Amar Singh, have been suspended from the primary membership of the party. “The state unit has been asked to make an inquiry into their conduct and take action against them“.
Regarding Jaya Bachchan, the SP spokesman said that so far she had not done anything which amounted to anti-party activity.
Asked about the future of Sanjay Dutt, another party General Secretary who quit his post to express solidarity with Amar Singh, he said the party does not take any cognisance of him.
“He was not associated with the party. After campaigning for the party in UP, he voted for the Congress in Maharashtra. As he has already resigned from the party post we do not take any congnisance of him anymore,” he said.
Alleging that Amar Singh dented the unity of the party, he said, “Before the disease spreads further, the party decided to do a corrective surgery”.
The decision was taken at the SP parliamentary board meeting chaired by party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav here, national general secretary and spokesman Mohan Singh told reporters.
He said the party also suspended membership of four MLAs -- Madan Chauhan, Sandeep Agarwal, Ashok Chandel and Sarvesh Singh -- all Amar Singh loyalists.
“For over a month some leaders of the party have been continuously giving statements against the SP,” Mr. Singh said.
He said that on January 31, Lok Sabha member Jaya Prada had held a press conference in which she made “indecent comments” against the SP leadership and spit venom against its policies.
“She also gave statements in support of Kalyan Singh, which the party thought had dented its secular image. Any leader, howsoever important, he or she cannot be allowed to make public statements against any political party,” he said.
“Therefore, the parliamentary board has decided to expel Jaya Prada from the primary membership of the party,” he said, adding that she was a “guided missile” of Amar Singh.
Mr. Singh said Amar Singh attempted to “deshape” the SP. “His entry in the party was capitalist and communal intrusion intended to damage the socialist movement,” he alleged.
He said that to free the party from such forces, the party decided to expel him from the primary membership with a “heavy heart”.
The SP spokesman said, “He (Amar) voluntarily floated Lok Manch, which is a parellel organisation to SP and repeatedly attempted to create a rift, engineer a split and dent the image of the party.
“SP’s policy is that of casteless politics, whereas Amar Singh attempted to promote casteist politics,” he alleged.
Mohan Singh said the party will move a petition before Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman to disqualify them from the two Houses of Parliament on grounds of indulging in anti-party activities.
He said the four MLAs, who were “conspiring to engineer a split” in the party in UP and had become followers of Amar Singh, have been suspended from the primary membership of the party. “The state unit has been asked to make an inquiry into their conduct and take action against them“.
Regarding Jaya Bachchan, the SP spokesman said that so far she had not done anything which amounted to anti-party activity.
Asked about the future of Sanjay Dutt, another party General Secretary who quit his post to express solidarity with Amar Singh, he said the party does not take any cognisance of him.
“He was not associated with the party. After campaigning for the party in UP, he voted for the Congress in Maharashtra. As he has already resigned from the party post we do not take any congnisance of him anymore,” he said.
Alleging that Amar Singh dented the unity of the party, he said, “Before the disease spreads further, the party decided to do a corrective surgery”.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Amar Singh must quit Rajya Sabha: Mohan Singh
The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Thursday mounted pressure on the former general secretary, Amar Singh, to resign his Rajya Sabha seat. He was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha on the SP ticket in November 2008.
Speaking to journalists, the new party spokesman, Mohan Singh, said that Mr. Amar Singh, who has resigned from key party posts, must give up his Rajya Sabha seat on moral grounds. “If not, then the party will find a way out [for him to do so].”
When informed that he had reportedly refused to do so, Mr. Mohan Singh retorted, “There is a limit to being shameless. He has been teaching everybody a lesson on morality but after his refusal to quit it has now become clear who is moral and who is not. His political aim is to remain in some post through some party. Politics is not his real motive.”
Mr. Mohan Singh, who has replaced Mr. Amar Singh in all party posts, said the party wanted Mr. Amar Singh to resign. Asked if the party president Mulayam Singh too wanted it, he said, “the party wants it and Mr. Mulayam Singh is part of the party.”
(However, when The Hindu asked Mr. Mulayam Singh, who was in Delhi for Janeshwar Mishra’s condolence meeting, he declined to say anything on the subject.)
On the new office-bearers, Mr. Mohan Singh said, “The party is back to its socialist moorings and any distortions that had crept in would be rectified.”
Meanwhile on Thursday, the party announced the appointment of the former Minister, Rasheed Masood, as national vice-president. The former Minister, Ata-Ur-Rehman and the former MLA, Suneelam, were appointed as secretaries.
Speaking to journalists, the new party spokesman, Mohan Singh, said that Mr. Amar Singh, who has resigned from key party posts, must give up his Rajya Sabha seat on moral grounds. “If not, then the party will find a way out [for him to do so].”
When informed that he had reportedly refused to do so, Mr. Mohan Singh retorted, “There is a limit to being shameless. He has been teaching everybody a lesson on morality but after his refusal to quit it has now become clear who is moral and who is not. His political aim is to remain in some post through some party. Politics is not his real motive.”
Mr. Mohan Singh, who has replaced Mr. Amar Singh in all party posts, said the party wanted Mr. Amar Singh to resign. Asked if the party president Mulayam Singh too wanted it, he said, “the party wants it and Mr. Mulayam Singh is part of the party.”
(However, when The Hindu asked Mr. Mulayam Singh, who was in Delhi for Janeshwar Mishra’s condolence meeting, he declined to say anything on the subject.)
On the new office-bearers, Mr. Mohan Singh said, “The party is back to its socialist moorings and any distortions that had crept in would be rectified.”
Meanwhile on Thursday, the party announced the appointment of the former Minister, Rasheed Masood, as national vice-president. The former Minister, Ata-Ur-Rehman and the former MLA, Suneelam, were appointed as secretaries.
