No threat to UPA as Maya stays put

In a huge relief to the Congress-led ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati made it abundantly clear on Wednesday that her party would not be part of any move to pull down the Manmohan Singh government any time in the near future.

Announcing the BSP’s stand after a meeting of the party’s national executive committee here, Mayawati told newspersons that she put on hold a decision on continuing outside support to the UPA government. 

“The committee decided to authorise me to take a final decision in this regard. And I will take a decision at an appropriate moment after carefully considering every aspect of the issue,” she said. “It is an important matter. Now, it is my responsibility to decide about it. I shall a take decision keeping in view the interests of the people and my party. The decision will be taken very soon.” She gave no timeline for such a decision.

Last month, soon after the government announced a hike in diesel price, cap on LPG cylinder supplies and foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail and airlines last month, Mayawati had attacked these moves and stated that her party would take a decision on continuing outside support to the UPA at a rally here on October 9.

However, at the rally on Tuesday, she announced that the decision would be taken on Wednesday.

The BSP has 21 members in the Lok Sabha, and the party’s support is vital for the UPA to continue to command comfortable majority in the Lower House in the wake of the Trimanool Congress’ exit from the ruling alliance.

Mayawati’s ambivalent position came a day after the Supreme Court told the Central Bureau of Investigation that it was free to approach the Uttar Pradesh government to pursue the pending disproportionate assets case against Mayawati.

While she made it clear she had no intention to withdraw her party’s support, Mayawati, however, blasted the UPA government for its “anti-people” policies and “heaping miseries on the common man.”

“We had given support to the UPA in the hope that it will keep communal forces at bay and take care of the interests of the poor, dalits and the minorities. Sadly it has not happened,” she said. Mayawati said that given the prevailing “instability” at the Centre, the next Lok Sabha elections could be held early. She asked the party workers to be ready for the elections. She also said that her party would be holding small meetings and cadre camps to expose the “anti-people” policies of the UPA government.

A senior BSP leader, however, told Deccan Herald that Mayawati was not in favour of forcing early Lok Sabha elections. Besides the fear that the UPA could activate investigations into the disproportionate assets case against her, the leader said that snap Lok Sabha elections would only benefit the BSP’s arch rival, the Samajwadi Party.  “An early poll will benefit the SP... we like the polls to take place on its scheduled time... even a year from now will also do as by that time the anti-incumbency factor will come into the picture,” the leader told Deccan Herald.