AUSTRALIANS ON CONVICTS

•The Australian (July 20) reports that “India will grant bail for a day to six jailed members of parliament, including three convicted over murders, so they can vote on a no-confidence motion triggered by the US nuclear deal that threatens to bring down the Government”. The report refers to these members of parliament as ‘honourable jailbirds’. In a later piece, referring to the defection of Shahid Siddiqui, Rajya Sabha MP of the SP the paper says, “being a member of the upper house, his defection does not directly affect the numbers in the vote; but he has immense influence and there are fears that he may affect the voting intentions of other MPs”. Referring to Mayawati’s role in the crisis and her future political ambitions, the report says, “the fly in the Government’s ointment remained the formidable Ms Mayawati, to whom the political crisis is manna from heaven for her ambition to become prime minister”.

“FRENZY OF MUDSLINGING”

• The British press also gave play to the issue of jailed MPs and political horsetrading. The Independent says, “multimillion-pound bribes, MPs serving jail terms and some in intensive care are among the arsenal of weapons being wielded in a dramatic battle as India’s government and its political opponents prepare for tomorrow’s crucial confidence vote”. The report focussed on Mayawati’s increasing clout , identifying her as one of the five parliamentary brokers along with Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Prakash Karat and L.K. Advani. The Times (July 18) says, “in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote, Delhi has been gripped by a frenzy of mud-slinging, back-slapping and deal-making as the Congress Party and its main rivals try to make up the numbers”.

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