Rajya Sabha to vote on quota bill today; differences within Congress, BJP

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has issued whips to its MPs to to vote in favour of the quota in promotions bill amid voices of dissent that are coming not just from the principle opposition party but also the Congress. The Samajwadi Party is accusing the government of using the CBI against it, ahead of the crucial vote.

Just days after committing support on the reservation in promotion bill, there are voices of dissent within both the big national parties. At a meeting sharing dias, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and Congress leader CP Joshi made their objections apparent.

"Divisive politics should not be played in the country. Reservation for economically backward people is in the interest of the nation. No matter what their caste or creed, the poor should be alleviated," Murli Manohar Joshi said.

Congress's CP Joshi said, "We will demand in our party that reservation should be based on the economic background. In this new era, reservation should be based on economic background and not like 50 years back when reservation was give to the SC and ST."

The Constitution Amendment Bill has been aggressively pushed by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati in lieu of her support to the UPA on FDI in retail. SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on the other hand, with an eye on upper caste votes in Uttar Pradesh, has been opposing it and just a day before the bill will be taken up by RS for passage, SP accused UPA of being hand in glove with the BSP.

A suggestion by the BJP to make the bill compatible with the Article 335 of the Constitution has been accepted by the government. With all the major parties having declared their support to the law, the legislation is likely to draw requisite two thirds majority in the Upper House, but the rumblings with both the big national parties against the move are now out in the open.