PM meets Mayawati, seeks support ahead of Winter Session

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met BSP chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for lunch on Sunday. The power lunch comes ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, when the UPA government is expected to face a combined opposition onslaught on various fronts, that begins later in November.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath was also present at the lunch. Meanwhile, on Saturday night the Prime Minister had dinner with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

On Saturday night the Prime Minister had dinner with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mayawati is expected to be accompanied by senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra ... Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath is also present at the lunch.
 
Sources in the government claimed that they are confident of Mulayam's support in Parliament if there's no confidence vote. Infact, the Prime Minister is planning to meet all parties including the Left before Parliament resumes and the focus of these meetings will be to garner support in the event of a trust vote.

Mayawati said meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should not be seen in the context of coming Parliamentary session. "Uttar Pradesh has become 'crime pradesh' and people have started realising that they have supported the wrong party," she said.

Earlier, in a breather for Mayawati, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had dismissed a public suit seeking her prosecution in the Taj Corridor case. The court ruled that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and her close aide and former PWD minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui would not be tried.