New Delhi:
A jubilant Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday appeared to express confidence over the stability of the UPA government but wished former allies like SP and RJD were with it on the Women's Reservation Bill.
"I think so. One can never tell. I am not an astrologer. I wish our former partners remained with us," she told reporters.
She was asked if she was confident about the stability of the government in the wake of threats by SP and RJD of withdrawal of their support to the UPA government if it went ahead with the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.
Asked about the strategy on when the Bill would be brought to Lok Sabha, Gandhi said "let us get it passed here (Rajya Sabha). I am keeping my fingers crossed."
To a question on Trinamool Congress expressing reservations over the passage of the Bill, she said all the parties in the UPA had welcomed the measure when it was brought in the Cabinet and she saw no problems within the UPA.
"Mamata Banerjee was quite enthusiastic. DMK has been for the Bill and supported the Prime Minister fully. Pawar also fully supported it. Everyone has supported it. I don't see any problems within the UPA," she said.
When asked whether she had to be tough to push ahead with the bill, Gandhi said yesterday also she was firm.
People mentioned some possible consequences which she had to take into account. "I may not have thought of that."
She denied suggestions that Congress was "in a shambles" yesterday on the bill. "Certain developments took place and we had to face that," she said.
Seeking to dismiss any problems in the UPA in view of the Bill, Gandhi said, "I cannot see any issue coming in the way...I don't see a problem".
The Congress president, however, parried a question on whether it was her intervention that led to the government going in for the measure in the Rajya Sabha amid pulls and pressures.
She suggested that the party's Core Group meeting in the office of the Prime Minister this afternoon clinched the issue.
"You have to go by a collective decision. There was consensus in the party and the Government, but the situation in the House...", she said.
Asked whether the credit should go to her for giving push to the long-delayed bill in Parliament, she said that it was "Rajiv Gandhi's dream and intention. It is everybody's credit. The Left parties fully supported. The BJP also supported although...".
Asked about the BSP's demand for 50 per cent reservation for women, she said that the bill was a "great step forward for women of the country". She said that the credit should go to Indian women, who have achieved it through the "help of men".
Gandhi came out in support of the Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's action against seven members who had been disrupting the proceedings.
"If members are asked to go out...then in such a situation they are intruders in the House...You cannot go with the business of the House. Chairman had no choice but to take action," she said.
Asked about the problems faced by the party and the government for its decision to go ahead with the measure, she said there was some nervousness, but "we have seen worse situation".
"I think so. One can never tell. I am not an astrologer. I wish our former partners remained with us," she told reporters.
She was asked if she was confident about the stability of the government in the wake of threats by SP and RJD of withdrawal of their support to the UPA government if it went ahead with the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.
Asked about the strategy on when the Bill would be brought to Lok Sabha, Gandhi said "let us get it passed here (Rajya Sabha). I am keeping my fingers crossed."
To a question on Trinamool Congress expressing reservations over the passage of the Bill, she said all the parties in the UPA had welcomed the measure when it was brought in the Cabinet and she saw no problems within the UPA.
"Mamata Banerjee was quite enthusiastic. DMK has been for the Bill and supported the Prime Minister fully. Pawar also fully supported it. Everyone has supported it. I don't see any problems within the UPA," she said.
When asked whether she had to be tough to push ahead with the bill, Gandhi said yesterday also she was firm.
People mentioned some possible consequences which she had to take into account. "I may not have thought of that."
She denied suggestions that Congress was "in a shambles" yesterday on the bill. "Certain developments took place and we had to face that," she said.
Seeking to dismiss any problems in the UPA in view of the Bill, Gandhi said, "I cannot see any issue coming in the way...I don't see a problem".
The Congress president, however, parried a question on whether it was her intervention that led to the government going in for the measure in the Rajya Sabha amid pulls and pressures.
She suggested that the party's Core Group meeting in the office of the Prime Minister this afternoon clinched the issue.
"You have to go by a collective decision. There was consensus in the party and the Government, but the situation in the House...", she said.
Asked whether the credit should go to her for giving push to the long-delayed bill in Parliament, she said that it was "Rajiv Gandhi's dream and intention. It is everybody's credit. The Left parties fully supported. The BJP also supported although...".
Asked about the BSP's demand for 50 per cent reservation for women, she said that the bill was a "great step forward for women of the country". She said that the credit should go to Indian women, who have achieved it through the "help of men".
Gandhi came out in support of the Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's action against seven members who had been disrupting the proceedings.
"If members are asked to go out...then in such a situation they are intruders in the House...You cannot go with the business of the House. Chairman had no choice but to take action," she said.
Asked about the problems faced by the party and the government for its decision to go ahead with the measure, she said there was some nervousness, but "we have seen worse situation".
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