Govt sure of Rail Budget passage
The government on Thursday expressed confidence in passage of the Railway Budget and the General Budget sending out a clear message to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress that its pressure tactics will not affect these budgets.
The party’s “crisis managers” are working on a strategy to ensure that the government’s financial legislations pass smoothly in the two Houses of Parliament during the session with or without the Trinamul.
They are keeping the Samajwadi Party (22 members in the Lok Sabha)), the BSP (21) and the RJD (four) in good humour at a time when the current mood of political parties is not in favour of a mid term poll.
Besides, they are confident that 13 one-member parties and the nine Independents would oppose any move to destablise the government besides other parties. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday sent two senior leaders — AICC treasurer Motilal Vora and parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal — to Lucknow to attend the swearing-in of Akhilesh Yadav as Uttar Pradesh chief minister on her behalf. In a letter to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mrs Gandhi said she wanted to attend the function but could not. She also gave good wishes to Mr Akhilesh Yadav.
The government is tightlipped on whether the hike in the railway fares would be rollback under the Trinamul Congress’ pressure, especially when the Railway Budget was “approved” by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. Mr Mukherjee said in the Lok Sabha, “As the finance minister, I own the responsibility (of the budget).”
UPA insiders said that Railway minister Dinesh Trivedi’s budget was influenced by the PM’s line and he is openly defending the budget. They also drew attention to Mr Dwivdi’s prediction of a mid-term poll.
In the evening, Mr Banasl rejected the Opposition charge that the government has lost the number after the Trinamul mounted pressure on the PM to drop railway minister Dinesh Trivedi from the Cabinet after the rail fare hike.
He expressed the confidence of a smooth passage of the motion of thanks to the President’s address as also the Railway Budget and General Budget.
Mr Bansal said that the government has no problems over numbers. “I see no difficulty in carrying the motion. Nothing needs to be done. Everything is fine. Trinamul Congress is part of UPA. We are confident of the passage of the Railway Budget as also the General Budget,” Mr Bansal said.
When he was asked whether he was sent to Lucknow along with Mr Vora to seek the support of SP, Mr Bansal replied, “UPA’s strength is 274 and it has the outside support of SP, BSP and RJD,” the minister said.
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