Trinamool unhappy, Lalu to withdraw support

Brushing aside the opposition from its allies, some of whom have decided to withdraw their support, the Congress today ensured that the historic Women's Reservation Bill is adopted by the Rajya Sabha even at the cost of "huge (political) risk".

Party President Sonia Gandhi had no hesitation in admitting tonight that her party and the government had taken a "huge risk"  but in politics one has to keep in mind the "larger picture" like women's empowerment.

Some of the party's allies  were patently unhappy over passage of the Bill with Trinamool Congress protesting the manner of its adoption and another deciding to withdraw support.

As the historic Bill was being cleared by the Rajya Sabha, Gandhi, whose insistence on its adoption is said to have forced the government's hands, appeared unfazed by threats of outside allies like SP and RJD of withdrawing support to UPA coalition.

"I think so," she told reporters when she was asked whether she was confident about the stability of the government in the face of threats.

However, she added she wished  the "former partners" were with the government on passage of the legislation.

UPA constituent and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress stayed away from voting in the Rajya Sabha protested against "bulldozing" of the legislation, said she was "upset".

She  expressed unhappiness with lack of consultation with allies like her party and SP and RJD and trusting more her opponents like the Left parties.