NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati said her party would support the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government over the cut motion expected to be moved in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
"We should have voted against the UPA government but it would strengthen communal forces to attain power in the centre. Taking this into account, we have opted to support the government," she said.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as well as the Left parties and some others are set to move cut motions in the Lok Sabha on the budget proposals to hike prices of fuels and fertilisers but the treasury is confident of passing the test of strength.
When budget proposals are presented in Parliament for approval, a lawmaker or a 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.
The BSP supports the UPA government from the outside. Its stance is being linked to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) telling the Supreme Court that it was prepared to consider Mayawati's plea for closing a disproportionate assets case against her.
The BSP has 21 members in the House.
The Congress has issued a whip to its members to be present in the House when the guillotine is applied on demands for grants of certain ministries. Parliamentary affairs ministry sources said the guillotine is expected to be applied at 6pm on Tuesday.
The UPA partners and supporters include Congress - 207, Trinamool Congress - 19, DMK - 18, Nationalist Congress Party - 9, National Conference -3, Muslim League - 2, Kerala Congress (M) - 1, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen - 1, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi-1, Sikkim Democratic Front - 1, Bodoland People's Front - 1, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha - 1, Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi-1, Assam United Democratic Front-1, Nominated-2.
There are nine independent members in the Lok Sabha, some of whom support the UPA.
Meanwhile, the 13-party alliance led by the Left parties appeared divided on Tuesday about bringing a cut motion even as they jointly protested the rising prices of essential commodities at Parliament.
The 13 parties, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Samajwadi Party (SP), have called for a nationwide shutdown to protest the price rise issue and the United Progressive Alliance government's economic policies.
However, the parties were clearly divided staging the sit-in at Parliament. While MPs from the four Left parties, the BJD and the AIADMK demonstrated in front of the main gate of Parliament House, the SP, RJD and TDP protested before the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the premises.
The Left parties are determined to bring the cut motion in the house on Tuesday. CPM leader M.B. Rajesh told IANS: "We will bring the cut motion."
However, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had a different view.
Asked whether the RJD and SP would support the Left decision to bring the cut motion demanding a rollback in prices of fuels and fertilisers, he said: "We are observing a Bharat Bandh today, then why should we run the house today?"
His reply indicated that they would not join the Left opposition in their demand for a cut motion.
TDP leader Nama Nageshwar Rao told IANS: "Our party would support the Left in bringing a cut motion."
Later, MPs from the RJD and SP joined the Left parties to raise slogans against the UPA government's economic polices.
The demand for the grant for the general budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier this session is expected to be taken up for voting on Tuesday.
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