by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Exclusive report
NCP to bail out BJP on Triple Talaq
May abstain on voting in Rajya Sabha
Other parties also fall in line
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, July 22
In a surprising development, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has signaled to the ruling NDA that it will not create hurdled in the passage of the contentious Triple Talaq Bill. The signal from the NCP came as a big boost to the ruling BJP which has been struggling for the several sessions to get the Triple Talaq bill passed in the Rajya Sabha and resorting to the Ordinance route for two years. Though NCP is an alliance partner of the Congress and has been fighting Lok Sabha & Assembly polls in alliance. But its leadership has veered round to the view that any opposition on this bill will be negation of the mandate of the 2019 poll verdict.
A senior leader of the NCP told Lokmat on the condition of not being named that the party may not vote for the bill. “But one thing is clear... we will not vote against the bill.”
This stand of the NCP is music to the BJP's ears which is desperate to get the bill passed in the Rajya Sabha which has just 78 MPs in a House of 240. The NDA has 97 MPs including 3 nominated and four Independents. This does not include six MPs of the Janata Dal (U) which is opposed to the Bill. The AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal have indicated their support to the Triple Talaq Bill. These two parties together have 20 MPs in the Rajya Sabha and their support is very vital. With their support, the BJP will touch the figure of 117 without JD(U).
Highly placed sources say that YSR Congress (2), PDP of Jammu & Kashmir (2) and JD-S (1) will also abstain as they have their own problems in their respective states. Thus, nine MPs including four of the NCP will abstain bringing down the strength of the RS to 231.
With BJP mustering the support of 117 MPs in a house of 231, the bill can be passed without much difficulty. The BJP is pondering to extend the Parliament's current session for three days largely because it wants to pass the Triple Talaq bill.
Ends
