Why Lalu-Mulayam exit worries government

New Delhi: The Prime Minister is holding emergency meetings with his senior ministers to discuss the Women's Bill and the impact of Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav announcing they will withdraw their support to this government. (Read & Watch: Mulayam, Lalu withdraw support to govt)

Lalu and Mulayam have said the Women's Bill is being forced upon them by the Congress, and that it does not protect the interest of Dalit and Muslim women. (Watch: Will review the decision, says Lalu Yadav | Watch: Mulayam Singh withdraws support over Women's Bill)

The Rajya Sabha is meant to vote on the bill today.

For the Women's Bill, the government is not worried about the numbers because the Opposition - the BJP and the Left, along with smaller parties, are in favour of the bill.

However, the Finance Bill has not yet been passed. And that's what the government is worried about.

The UPA government believes that without Lalu and Mulayam's MPs, it can still count on 274 votes in favour of Pranab Mukherjee's budget. The number of votes required to pass it is 273. So the government's margin is tiny. And that's what the BJP and Left will try to exploit. Both have already attacked Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee over the budget, in particular, over the hike in petrol and diesel prices. The government's key allies including the DMK and Mamata Banerjee have also expressed their concern over the fuel hike, and the government's new numbers weaken its position if it finds it must negotiate with these allies.