Convicts, jailed MPs may save Indian government


By Jawed Naqvi


NEW DELHI, July 17: A strong appeal on Thursday by Congress leader
Sonia Gandhi was expected to boost the Indian government’s chance of
winning a trust vote next week, but its survival largely depends on
half a dozen convicted and jailed MPs who are being especially freed
to cast their make-or-break votes.

Mrs Gandhi was addressing her first public rally since left wing
parties withdrew support for the government because of opposition to a
nuclear deal with the United States. She said it would help give India
energy security in years to come and she dismissed accusations that
the Congress party is selling out India’s national interest.

“Let me state before you, let me state before the whole country
categorically; there is no question, there is no question of
compromising on our security, on our nuclear programme and on our
independence in foreign policy,” she said.

The government has been forced to seek a confidence vote over the
issue in parliament next week. The accord would give India an access
to US civilian nuclear technology.

Six members of parliament in prison will be allowed out to participate
in the debate and the Indian cabinet has approved a proposal to rename
an airport after the father of the leader of one small party which is
being wooed by both camps. Analysts said that though it looked like a
safe bet that the government would survive the confidence vote, the
margins are getting smaller all the time.

Two jailed MPs, whose parties are constituents of the ruling United
Progressive Alliance, were on Wednesday allowed by the Patna High
Court to take part in the trust vote in Lok Sabha, giving some relief
to the Manmohan Singh government.

A division bench granted Rashtriya Janata Dal MP from Siwan, Mohammad
Shahabuddin, and Lok Janshakti Party MP from Balia, Surajbhan Singh,
permission to go to New Delhi for the July 22 confidence vote. Both
are serving life terms in separate criminal cases.

On Tuesday, Atiq Ahmed, facing trial in a number of criminal cases in
Uttar Pradesh, was permitted by an Allahabad court to take part in the
voting.

Ahmed, an MP from Phoolpur, was expelled by Samajwadi Party for anti-
party activities and has kept all options open saying “everything is
possible in politics”. He is being wooed by both Congress as well as
the BSP, which has decided to vote against the government.

The UPA is pulling all stops to ensure that five MPs, currently lodged
in various jails and who are expected to back the government, are in
Delhi in time for the voting.

Press Trust of India said two other jailed MPs who could support the
government are Pappu Yadav (RJD) and Afzal Ansari of Samajwadi Party.
There is no word yet on these two MPs whether they are moving courts
to get bail to take part in voting.

Another MP in jail is Umakant Yadav of the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The court allowed Shahabuddin, serving life term in connection with
the kidnapping and suspected murder of a CPI-ML activist Chotelal
Gupta in 1999, to leave for New Delhi on July 20 and remain there for
two days till July 22.It directed Shahabuddin to return to Bihar by
July 23 and bear the travel expenses of him and the accompanying
policemen. Shahabuddin had been earlier granted permission by the
court to take part in the last presidential election.

Earlier in the day, the same bench granted bail to Surajbhan Singh
despite stiff opposition by the prosecution.

Surajbhan, along with two of his associates, was sentenced to life
imprisonment for the murder of a farmer, by a fast track court of
Begusarai on June 25. Opposition MPs have claimed that the government
was offering Rs250 million each to independent MPs who may tip the
balance. The government has denied the charge.

Lucknow’s Amausi Airport will now be named after former prime minister
Chaudhury Charan Singh as part of the deal with his son who commands a
clutch of MPs, news report said. Corporate heads have also figured in
the hard negotiations surrounding. Dawn, 18 July,08.


M. Javed
Iqbal

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: OT:: Im Voting Republican!
    ... And as I said, I don't vote for the person, I vote for the party ... Taxing the rich more than the poor is called a progressive tax ... government on those who can best afford it. ... who disagree with the party line on the "RINOs". ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic)
  • Re: Yesterday we received the great news that the Hunting Bill will be reintroduced to the Commons n
    ... by the majority protestant population. ... If the majority ever happened to vote for the same party they would ... get the government they deserved. ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)
  • Re: 50% , Grest Victory for Turkey AK Party
    ... the main opposition party was holding second ... The vote was called after disputes over a presidential candidate, ... seen as a test of Turkish secularism. ... of constitutional reforms proposed by Mr Erdogan's current government. ...
    (soc.culture.iranian)
  • Re: 50% , Grest Victory for Turkey AK Party
    ... the main opposition party was holding second ... The vote was called after disputes over a presidential candidate, ... seen as a test of Turkish secularism. ... of constitutional reforms proposed by Mr Erdogan's current government. ...
    (soc.culture.iranian)
  • Re: BBC Pronunciation and the U.S. Elections
    ... that elected MPs (or, at least, those MPs who lead their respective ... The Govenor General asks someone to form a government. ... various parties she might well not do so. ... As far as I am aware the leader of the party with the most seats ...
    (alt.usage.english)