Cut Motions: Divided Opposition, Mayawati Ensure UPA Victory


New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) The 11-month-old Congress-led government Tuesday won a decisive victory in parliament by sailing through cut motions after the opposition failed to unite in a battle of numbers over rising food prices.

A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted there was no threat to his government, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) defeated the opposition after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) extended vital legislative support while the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) walked out of the Lok Sabha, tilting the balance in favour of the ruling coalition.

"The government has proved that it has a comfortable majority (in the Lok Sabha). It is unfortunate that the Left voted with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)," Congress spokesman Rajiv Shukla said after cut motions introduced by the BJP and the Left were put to vote and overwhelmingly shot down.

Most of the cut motions pertained to budgetary demands of two ministries - petroleum and fertilizers - and sought to express dissent over the hikes proposed in prices of fuel and fertilizers, which the opposition said had led to pushing up the prices of food and essential commodities.

As the day progressed, however, it became clear that the opposition's hopes of winning the vote on cut motions were set to fail after BSP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati announced that she would stand by the government.

The Congress quickly denied it had entered into a covert deal with Mayawati, who faces serious charges of corruption and is battling cases in the Supreme Court.

As the proceedings over cut motions began in the 545-member Lok Sabha, the 24 Samajwadi Party and RJD members led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad walked out saying they did not want to be seen on the side of the "communal" BJP.

With the total numbers set to vote coming down, the government posted an easy victory.

Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) hid his disappointment, saying the opposition had proved a point.

"The purpose of the cut motions was to bring the government under pressure for rollback in prices of petrol, diesel and urea," he said. "The aim was not to destabilize the government. In a way, we were successful both inside and outside (the house) to put pressure on the government."

Yechury's reference to "outside" was to a nationwide shutdown called Tuesday by 13 opposition parties that hit hard life in Left-ruled West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura and affected educational institutions, businesses and road and rail transport in varying degrees in Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Samajwadi Party activists torched buses in Uttar Pradesh while opposition party members squatted on rail tracks and highways in other states. The day-long strike was called to denounce what the opposition said was the failure by the government to check rising food prices.

As a parallel to the protests outside, the opposition had hoped to floor the government in parliament. That did not happen.

When budget proposals are presented in parliament for approval, a lawmaker or party can question specific allocations with a cut motion. If it is carried in the house, it amounts to a vote of no confidence and the government is obliged to quit.

Earlier in the day, parliament's functioning was stalled for the second successive day with the opposition protesting against spiraling food prices and slamming the prime minister for rejecting a probe into allegations of phone tapping of top politicians as well as the wrongdoings in the cricket Indian Premier League (IPL).

While the Lok Sabha was adjourned thrice, business in the Rajya Sabha was crippled twice, the second time for the day.

A bruised BJP hit out at the government even in defeat. "The BJP stood by the common man, while the government has betrayed the common man," said BJP leader Anantha Kumar.

  

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Comment on this article

  • ISMAIL K PERINJE, PERINJE/YANBU-KSA

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    Maya madam unpredictable! It is barter system.There is consitent "Shredanthika Nelvu" for any party.Cut motion is the ever first time motion forwarded by opposition for a division in the history of Independent India.

    CPI(M) joined with BJP is the reconing point of surprise!! Any how UPA came victorious!Congrats UPA!

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  • nagesh nayaK, bangalore

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    HI,EDWARD, MANGALORE, YOUR UPA LED BY ITALIAN MADAMME & PUPPET IS THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THE MESS IN INDIA.

    PRICES HAVE GONE UP ABOVE THE SKY LIMIT. COMMAN MAN & POOR ARE EXPEREINCING HARD TO LEAD THE NORMAL LIFE.

    NAXALITES & MAOISTS ARE ON RAMPAGE EVERYDAY.

    TERRORISTS ARE AT THE DOOR STEPS.

    IPL WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS & YOUR UPA IS NOW INVESTIGATING ABOUT SOURCE OF FUNDS.

    SHRI. YEDIYURAPPA'S BJP GOVT IS FAR BETTER THAN UPA.

    UPA GOVT. GAVE AWARD FOR KARNATAKKA BJP GOVT. IN HANDLING GRAM PANCHAYATH.

    RBI & FINANCE MINISTRY GAVE CERTIFICATES FOR BSET FUND MANAGEMENT FOR KARNATALKA BJP GOVT.

    KSRTC & BMTC GOT FIRST PRIZE BY YOUR UPA IN TRANSPORT.

    WHAT ELSE YOU WANT.

    BJP IS THE BEST.

    JAI HO BJP.

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  • EDWARD, MANGALORE

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    ALL WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR STATE KARNATAKA. THERE IS LOTS OF PROBLEMS LIKE ELECTRIC LOAD-SHEDDING, ILLEGAL LAND ACQUISITION & ILLEGAL MINING BY SO CALLED REDDY-BROS. INSTEAD OF BJP WASTING THEIR TIME IN CENTRAL, LET THEM CLEAN STATE BJP'S FILTH. OUR CENTRAL UPA LED GOVT. IS DOING MARVELOUS JOB IN ALL FIELDS. JAI-HO-BHARATH.

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  • EDWARD, MANGALORE

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    ALL WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR STATE KARNATAKA. THERE IS LOTS OF PROBLEMS LIKE ELECTRIC LOAD-SHEDDING, ILLEGAL LAND ACQUISITION & ILLEGAL MINING BY SO CALLED REDDY-BROS. INSTEAD OF BJP WASTING THEIR TIME IN CENTRAL, LET THEM CLEAN STATE BJP'S FILTH. OUR CENTRAL UPA LED GOVT. IS DOING MARVELOUS JOB IN ALL FIELDS. JAI-HO-BHARATH.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • M.Mathias, Mangalore/Bahrain

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    Manmohan Singh is right Prime Minister at right time and Chidambaram is right home minister at right time. Also both of them are helping Finance Minister.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Jawar D'Souza, M'lore/Doha

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    Why the prices will not increase when buses are tortured, tracks are destroyed who's property it is our own property, tomorrow we only will have to pay more taxes. These samjwady party people should be shot in public, I think the police were having fun instead of shooting them. Another menace is the communist party strike called one whole day billion's of productive hour's are lost who's going to gain, millions of people may have lost their daily wages why do the communist leader's bothered, he might be living in a air conditioned bungalow has, any one checked this out. Even a communist if he gets some money tomorrow will have different opinion.

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  • Sudhir, Kundapur/USA

    Wed, Apr 28 2010

    MMS and Sonia thanks for your integrity. How else would the government would have survived.

    The CBI on 16th April says in Supreme court that it has evidence against Mayawati in graft charges and 23rd April it s the case against Mayawati.

    Don't be surprised if the Noida airport deal goes to Jayprakash instead of GMR which was front runner for the project.

    Looking at all this I can only say My PM BESTEST

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  • Chetan.S, mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2010

    BJP should do something constructive work for the common people instead of pulling down the UPA govt.Its high time for the BJP leaders to go to their grass root level and find why they are getting defeated in National elections.Their is no unity amongst the leaders .

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  • Stany D'sa, Balehonnur/Dubai

    Tue, Apr 27 2010

    It is no doubt a very decisive Victory for UPA Govrnment. It is time again proven that the Secular Government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is Very much popular and idealogical and I am sure it will take care of the greivances of mass population of India. Mayawati has done a commendable Job with her timely support to UPA so as SP and RJD.My best wishes to UPA Government and I am sure they will successfuly Complete the Second Term with sound governace.

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