YSRCP unlikely to help BJP on UCC,but may support CEC and CrPC bills

The YSR Congress, which has nine MPs in the Rajya Sabha and which is known to bail out the ruling BJP in getting crucial legislation passed in the Upper House, is unlikely to support the uniform civil code (UCC) draft legislation if the government decides to present it in the House, sources in the party have said.

Regarding UCC, which is part of the BJP's ideological agenda, YSRCP leaders said it is not clear whether the ruling party at the Centre would bring any bill related to it. However, if it did, then the YSRCP will not support it as it enjoys support among the minorities in Andhra Pradesh and cannot support any legislation which the community has apprehensions about.

Andhra Pradesh's ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), which is neither part of the ruling BJP-led NDA nor the opposition INDIA alliance, has always supported the BJP on various contentious bills, including the abrogation of Article 370, the farm laws and recently, the Delhi Services Bill.


With the NDA lacking a majority in the Upper House, it counts on parties like YSRCP and BJD to get its crucial legislation passed.

Because of YSRCP's decision, it would be difficult for the ruling BJP to get the UCC bill passed in the Upper House as many of its own allies from the north-east -- National People's Party (NPP), Mizo National Front (MNF) and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) -- are also against UCC.

However, the YSRCP will support the BJP on other crucial legislation already introduced in Parliament such as the three bills to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Evidence Act, and on the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners' appointment bill.