With a united opposition planning cut motions, BJP today sought to keep BSP in good humour by refraining to comment on CBI's statement in the Supreme Court that it will consider Mayawati's plea for closure of the disproportionate case against her.
BJP refrained from a comment on the issue but party leaders, preferring anonymity, said this could be an exercise by the Congress to win over Mayawati before the crucial cut-motions come up in the Lok Sabha.
"The Congress-led government wants to keep SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Mayawati on their side by soft-pedalling on corruption cases against them. They may decide to walk out during the cut-motions to defeat the opposition designs," a BJP leader said.
Congress dismissed any speculation on the issue as insinuations, saying CBI is an autonomous body and it does not report to the government in its day-to-day functioning.
"CBI is an autonomous body. Government does not interfere in its day-to-day functioning. Any such speculation is insinuation," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.
Asked whether the government was going slow on Mayawati in view of the cut-motions and passage of Finance Bill scheduled next week, Ahmed said, "Government is confident of its numbers. There is no problem on that account. The Finance Bill will be passed without any problem."
Most non-UPA parties, including BJP, Left parties, SP, RJD, BJD, have been united against the government on several issues in the recent months.
BSP, which has 21 MPs in Lok Sabha, has kept others guessing about its stand on the cut-motions.
CBI today informed the Supreme Court that it will consider a representation made by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister for closure of proceedings against her in the corruption case in view of the favourable orders passed by income tax authorities.
"CBI will need time to re-look into the whole case in view of the representation made by Mayawati," Attorney General GE Vahanvati said before a bench comprising chief justice KG Balakrishnan and justices AK Ganguly and BS Chauhan, which posted the matter for hearing in August.
Mayawati, in her representation, said CBI was bound to apply the same principle adopted by it in the disproportionate assets (DA) cases of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad in which proceedings were closed on the basis of the findings of income tax authorities and on
the advice of law officers.
