New Delhi, March 5: The Congress and BJP on Friday issued three-line whips to their members to back the Women’s Reservation Bill, coming up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, while the Marxists have assured the government they will issue a similar whip to ensure the passage of the bill. The coming together of these parties as well as TDP and BJD support has virtually marginalised the Samajwadi Party, BSP, Janata Dal (U) and RJD.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and MPs from his party and the SP met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday and requested him to call a meeting of floor leaders on this issue. They explained that their parties are neither opposing women nor the bill and want only that it should take care of the OBCs. Mr Lalu Yadav said it was not proper to see a division on the constitutional amendment bill.

But Congress sources said Friday night that calling an all-party meeting at this juncture would serve no purpose.

Although the opponents are bracing for a fight to stall the legislation, which has been pending for 13 years, the Congress-led UPA government is determined to pass the historic bill on International Women’s Day.

Parliamentary sources said "disorder" cannot bar the bill’s passage. Any MP who tries to obstruct the bill can be automatically suspended by the Chair, or through a resolution moved by the Leader of the Rajya Sabha or the parliamentary affairs minister. A third option is that MPs can be controlled with the help of marshals. But if the government has the numbers for the passage of the constitutional amendment bill, then it can ensure it is passed.

The sources added that if the Rajya Sabha passes this bill, it will be placed before the Lok Sabha and, later, at least 14 state Assemblies of the total 28 will have to pass it. Only after that will the President of India assent.

The 71-MP-strong ruling Congress is determined to push ahead with the constitutional amendment on Monday in the Rajya Sabha, which has an effective strength of 233. However, the numbers are stacked against the opponents of the bill, which is seen as an attempt by the Congress to break Opposition unity over price rise and the fuel price hike.

The BJP with 45 members, and the Left parties with 22, have already declared their support to the bill, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the state Assemblies. The Congress-led UPA is intact on the bill while the Shiromani Akali Dal and BSP have yet to reveal their cards.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said, "A whip has been issued to the BJP MPs to be present in the House on Monday." Asked about the party’s stance, Mr Jaitley said, "It is a long-standing commitment. We support it fully."

Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Friday hosted a luncheon for the whips and chief whips of political parties who assured him that their parties would issue whips as per their line — some will support, some oppose. It was a customary meeting before a constitutional amendment bill, sources said.

The Congress has asked its Rajya Sabha members to remain in the national capital till Monday. The bill is expected to be taken up after 12 noon in the Rajya Sabha. "It may pass with a discussion or without it," government sources said.

BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab and TDP leader Nama Nageswara Rao told this newspaper on Friday that their parties have been committed to the Women’s Reservation Bill and are thus backing it. The Congress has been the main opponent of these parties in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

The opponents of the Bill, who number 26 in the House, have declared "war" against the legislation. SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad stuck to their opposition to the bill in its present form and demanded quotas within quota for backwards and Muslim women.

The Mayawati-headed BSP, with 12 MPs, will meet in Lucknow Saturday to finalise its strategy on the issue, BSP MP Brajesh Pathak said.

Meanwhile, Union minister Bansal said, "There is no problem. We are talking to everyone. After being passed in the Rajya Sabha, it will be taken up in the Lok Sabha," he said.

In the Rajya Sabha the Congress has 71 members, the BJP 45, CPI(M) 15, AIADMK seven, NCP six, CPI five, DMK four, BJD four, Telugu Desam and Trinamul Congress two each and Forward Bloc one. All these parties are known to be supporters of the legislation, which takes the number to 162.

The bill, nevertheless, faces problems from the SP, RJD, JD(U) and a few smaller parties, including the Shiv Sena (four). The SP has 11 members, the RJD has four and the JD(U) seven — they total 26.

Though the strength of the Rajya Sabha is 245, its effective strength now is 233 as there are 12 vacancies, including those of six nominated members.

Age Correspondents