BSP, SP keep govt guessing on FDI vote

New Delhi: Ahead of the debate and vote in Parliament, outside UPA allies BSP and SP on Monday kept the government guessing on their support on the issue of FDI in retail.

As Lok Sabha takes up discussion tomorrow on the FDI issue with a provision for voting on Wednesday, BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav sent mixed signals but government expressed confidence it has the numbers and will win the floor test. Addressing a press conference here, she gave indications that she could support the FDI policy by noting some positive points of the FDI policy but still refused to disclose her strategy. "BSP`s decision on voting will be disclosed on the floor of Parliament when the issue comes up for voting. ....The only plus point of this policy of the Centre is that if a state does not want to implement the FDI policy then it will not not be forcefully imposed on that state. "Our party has taken serious note of this. Our party is also seriously thinking whether it should be standing with those parties that encourage communal forces, Mayawati said. BSP has 21 members in Lok Sabha and 15 in Rajya Sabha, where government needs the positive vote of both the parties to defeat the Opposition motion. The SP has 22 members in Lok Sabha and 5 in Rajya Sabha. Mayawati`s remarks today are seen as an attempt to put pressure on the government to promise early passage of the Constitution amendment bill providing for reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government service, an issue the SP is strongly opposed to. PTI