UPA on the defensive as SP MPs switch sides

THE BIG FISH: SP General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Shahid Siddiqui has joined the BSP.

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

26/11: Terror comes precariously close

Featured Slideshows

New Delhi: The Vote of Confidence is just 48 hours away and it still looks touch and go for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government.

A big blow to the Manmohan Singh Government's hopes came by way of the rebellion in the Samajwadi Party (SP).

As Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati held court in Delhi, Samajwadi MP from Jalesar, SP Singh Baghel, announced his intention to switch sides and join BSP.

And it is no longer a trickle. Some other SP MPs appear to have decided that BSP is the party of the future and joining the bandwagon was Shahid Siddiqui, General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP.

"I have joined the BSP and I will fight under Mayawati's leadership," Siddiqui said.

Although his vote will not matter and he is afraid that he may not nominated by his party, but it is still a high profile catch for Mayawati.

For the past few days she has been remote-controlling the movement of SP legislators to her fold and on Saturday, she eagerly received them.

We welcome him (Siddiqui) for joining the BSP. He has expressed his faith in our stand," a jubilant Mayawati said.

The split in SP means a major headache for the Congress. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda but the meeting ended without any firm commitment from the Karnataka leader.

SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and party General Secretary Amar Singh had guaranteed all 39 MPs but now they require help from the UPA to hold on to 34.

And at the end of a day of intense political churning, the UPA remained where it was.

The only silver lining was a split in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) that favoured the UPA.

JMM MP Teklal Mahato said, "We are already with the UPA."

But even then the numbers are not adding up and the Congress is hoping for divisions in the ranks of the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal.

"We have information that some of the Shiv Sena and Akali Dal members will be absent during the vote," Congress General Secretary M Veerappa Moily claimed.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to rubbish the claim. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, "Shiv Sena has made it clear that it is with the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) and it will be voting against the Government. Akali Dal supremo Prakash Singh Badal has also said the same. Even then the Congress had launched a disinformation campaign."

It's going to be a long weekend for Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the UPA fights with its back to the wall looking battle-worn even before the battle has begun.

But in an environment when the loyalty of the MPs is as fickle as the monsoons, tomorrow is another day.

(With inputs from Sumit Pande)