Women's bill a conspiracy to 'finish' regional parties: Lalu

RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday joined SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav in opposing the Women's Reservation Bill in its present form, alleging that it was a "big conspiracy" to prevent the backward sections from coming up and to "finish" the regional parties.

Lalu Prasad, who was joined by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, warned of a major movement if quotas for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs and minorities was not included in the legislation.

Participating in the debate in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address, Prasad said "Mulayam Singh had said there was a conspiracy (in bringing the bill in its present form) and I am now exposing it."

He alleged that moves were afoot to prevent progress and development of backward sections and "finish" the regional parties.

"These (backward) sections need to be represented... and therefore we must have quota within the quota," the RJD chief said and warned "we will not agree if you don't do this."

Kalyan Singh also spoke of a "deep conspiracy" and alleged that sections in both the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP were involved in it.

"The conspiracy is to keep these (downtrodden) sections away from power and development," he said adding that his voice was "not heard" by the BJP leadership when he was in that party.