UPA-II set to release its report card, Samajwadi Party will skip PM's dinner

New Delhi: Battling corruption allegations and scandals, the government is all set to release its report card for UPA II. (Read)

Amid speculation of a larger role for Rahul Gandhi, the Congress general secretary is expected to find a place in the dais along with the Prime Minister, senior allies and union ministers. But as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lists the achievements of his government, some allies seem less than eager to join the party. (UPA-II completes four years: who said what)

Key ally NCP is reportedly miffed as it feels that Agriculture - headed by its leader Sharad Pawar - has not been projected enough in the UPA's achievements.

The Samajwadi party has decided to skip tonight's dinner which will mark the fourth anniversary of the UPA-II. This is being seen by many political observers as a huge setback to the government. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati is also not attending the dinner but the party says it will send its representatives

Before tonight's dinner, Dr Manmohan Singh will present his government's report card which is expected to highlight the rollout of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, and foreign equity in multi-brand retail and insurance as major policy initiatives.

It is also likely to list the Food Security Bill and the Land Acquisition Bill as pro-poor and pro-reform legislation. The report is likely to mention a bill relating to the time-bound delivery of services as another step to bring more transparency in the functioning of the government, said the sources. The three bills are yet to be passed by parliament.

UPA-II, which started off with a resurgent mood in 2009, has spent most of its tenure battling charges of corruption related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, allocations of 2G spectrum and coal blocks and a perceived misgovernance. The report is expected to create a positive impression among the people and Congress workers, said the sources.

As it prepares for the 2014 general elections, the UPA appears to have been weakened after two key allies, the Trinamool Congress and the DMK, quit the alliance in the past one year. While the Trinamool Congress left in September 2012 against the move to allow FDI in multi-brand retail, the DMK parted ways in March 2013 on the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils.

This has made the ruling combine more dependent on parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) which has 22 MPs in Lok Sabha  and the Bahujan Samaj Party with its 21 MPs , which help prop it.