Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said he would hand over to President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday a letter withdrawing support to the United Progressive Alliance government, over the issue of the Women's Reservation Bill, while SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav remained non-committal on the issue.
Lalu told reporters that despite repeated requests by Yadav and himself to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their meeting today morning, the government went ahead with voting on the bill -- which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies -- in the Rajya Sabha.
"I will hand over the letter to the President withdrawing support tomorrow," Lalu said.
The SP chief attacked the government for 'forcing the bill in the Rajya Sabha, but did not say in certain terms when he will hand over the letter withdrawing support to the President.
"I have already announced withdrawing support. We will let you know when we write the letter," he said.
When asked whether it was the Central Bureau of Investigation cases against him which were forcing him not to officially withdraw support, Yadav did not answer and left in a huff. Lalu said the use of Marshals to evict Members of Parliament from Rajya Sabha was unprecedented.
"This is the beginning of emergency and dictatorship in the country. They have converted Lok Sabha into a 'thana' (police station)," the RJD chief said.
He also referred to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing unhappiness with the Congress for not taking her party Trinamool Congress into confidence on the issue of voting.
On Monday, Lalu and Mulayam Singh together had announced the withdrawal of support from the UPA government for going ahead with the bill.
The SP has 21 members in the Lok Sabha and the RJD has four seats. Both parties had extended outside support to the UPA government in its second term.
