Sharad Yadav threatens suicide over women's quota

A day after President Pratibha Patil revealed the UPA government's plan to pass the women's reservation bill within 100 days, strong objection comes from Sharad Yadav, a long standing critic of the bill.

Speaking in parliament on Friday, the JD (U) leader and NDA convener said he would die before allowing any such bill without a quota for Dalit women.

"I will consume poison and die but I won't allow the women's reservation bill without a quota for Dalit/Tribal women," he said.

Earlier, President Pratibha Patil announced that the "government will ensure that women's reservation bill is passed in 100 days."

The Women's Reservation Bill was first introduced in September 1996 and since then it's been reintroduced 3 more times. Staunch opposition from players like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav and Sharad Yadav has always come in the way of its passage.

Even on Thursday, they stuck to their earlier stand of asking for quota within quota.

Says Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav: "We will discuss with our colleagues within our party."

Sharad Yadav, president of Janata Dal United, wanted "quota within quota...just the way we have done it in Bihar."

The Women's Reservation Bill is a Constitutional amendment bill and needs a 2/3rd majority in both the Houses to get it passed.

In Lok Sabha, where the government has a clear majority, it needs the support of 364 MPs.

In Rajya Sabha, the UPA needs the support of 153 MPs. But the UPA is short of a majority in the Upper House.