In another blow for the ruling Congress, its external ally Samajwadi Party is unlikely to support the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh as a counterstroke for introducing the anti-graft Lokpal Bill in Parliament on Friday.
NDTV news channel, citing a source who wished to remain anonymous, reported that SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav will support the motion for no-confidence in the lower house, which was proposed by seven MPs from the Seemandhra region this week.
SP leaders have been vocal in their criticism of the Jan Lokpal Bill and refused to back the anti-corruption Bill, for which activist Anna Hazare has been observing an indefinite fast since 10 December.
"We oppose the Lokpal Bill. The country doesn't require such a bill. All that the nation needs right now is measures to control inflation," SP leader Naresh Agarwal told ANI news on Friday.
When Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy tabled the Bill in Rajya Sabha, MPs belonging to the SP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) created a ruckus by shouting slogans forcing the house session to be adjourned.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley posted a tweet saying, "Samajwadi Party has saved the UPA in the past Nine years. Today it is collusively preventing the discussion and passage of the LokPal Bill."
A similar trend followed in the Lower House of the Parliament as TDP and YSR Congress MPs raised uproar for a 'United Andhra' cause.
On Monday, six Congress and four TDP MPs had sought a motion for a no-confidence vote against the Congress-led UPA government from Lok Sabha speaker, Meira Kumar
Such a move requires a support of one-tenth of the 545-member Lower House i.e. 50 MPs. There are 21 SP MPs in the Lok Sabha, who are trying to get a backing from other parties like the BJD and AIADMK
