New Delhi: Mamata Banerjee's decision to pull out of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government has led to political uncertainty with all the parties weighing the pros and cons of the Trinamool Congress's move. While the Opposition has been busy pointing out that the Congress has been ignoring the views of its allies, the parties expected to come to the UPA's rescue are busy strategising their response.
The Congress's strategy could include a partial roll back in diesel prices and increase the number of subsidised LPG cylinders. The party will also reach out to Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party to get the required numbers in Mamata's absence.
Congress leaders are also in favour of bringing in more reform measures as well as steps to help rural population.
The BJP is carefully watching the UPA's discomfiture and a section led by senior leader LK Advani is insisting on a special session of Parliament and an immediate vote of confidence by the UPA.
However, another section of BJP leaders are unsure whether a confidence motion moved by the BJP will lead to assured victory. The party wants to be sure if Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav intends to bring down the government.
Mulayam Singh Yadav is one leader who is hoping to gain the most for the current political uncertainty. The Samajwadi Party strategy is to go for maximum stakes and keep everyone guessing.
Mulayam is expected to withdraw support only when he is sure that the government’s fall is imminent. In 2014, he wants to lead of a Third Front which could be supported by the Congress.
On the other hand his bitter rival and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati will try to prevent Lok Sabha elections in the next one year, so that her party gets more time to regroup. She is expected to support UPA from outside and work on containing Mulayam in Uttar Pradesh.
Mayawati will also push the Center to pass some more welfare schemes for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, and take credit for it.
Mamata, who has accused the Congress not trying to isolate the Trinamool Congress and not consulting it on important issues, will use the exit from the UPA to further consolidate her party’s position in West Bengal. She is likely to maintain equal distance from both the UPA and NDA while deciding on future strategy after the next Lok Sabha elections.
She will also try for an alternate front with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Mulayam Singh Yadav.
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