At the fag end of the monsoon session of Parliament, the Government’s floor managers remembered the Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav’s formidable skills as the “stepney”, the utterly dependable extra who comes in handy during emergencies, to isolate the Congress in the Lower House.
Yadav performed this role with precision for the UPA in its 10-year tenure, whether it was the July, 2008 trust vote or when the Trinamool Congress withdrew support in 2012 over FDI in retail. With barely three days to go for the session to conclude, Yadav rose to strike a discordant note in the Congress’ chorus to demand Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s resignation over Lalitgate. By the end of the day, the Government managers claimed a breakthrough in Parliament logjam.
“We are in the Opposition Madam Speaker. We want the House to function. The disruptions should not go on for so many days. You call us for a discussion, all this will stop. Why don’t you call us,” Yadav told Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in the Lok Sabha. The Speaker was ready. “You first ask them (the Congress) if they are ready. I will adjourn the House. If Khargeji (Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge) is ready, I will call all of you to my chamber. But you first ask them,” said the Speaker.
Outside the House, when the Congress leaders were asked whether Yadav was speaking on their behalf, a senior leader said: “Mulayam is speaking on his own behalf. It has nothing to do with us.” Accordingly, in the Speaker’s meeting, Yadav apparently told the Congress: “Let Sushmaji get a chance to respond. There is a need for a discussion. We will not back you if you continue to disrupt the House.”
However, the Bahujan Samaj Party, (BSP) which has been supporting the Congress in the House, remained non-committal. “Running the House is the responsibility of the Government. Let them come up with a proposal and we will see,” BSP chief Mayawati said.