Jaya Bachchan

May 26: Jaya Bachchan may be missing Amar Singh but she will not miss the Rajya Sabha bus for him.

Playing her cards deftly, she has won another upper House nomination from Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has rewarded her for not following her political mentor out of the Samajwadi Party.

Amar seems to have anticipated it, blogging that of the Samajwadis’ two nominees, “one must surely be Jaya bhabhi, who, after all, chose SP over her brother-in-law (Amar)”.

However, minutes after Jaya and former minister Rasheed Masood were re-nominated, Amar cried foul. “This is Mulayam Singh’s bid to create a rift between me and the Bachchans,” he said.

But he wished Jaya “all the best”, saying: “I think she spoke in my favour recently by saying she was missing me in the SP. She is an independent-minded and strong person, who has given me a lot of affection.”

That strength and independence had been evident a quarter century ago when Jaya’s husband Amitabh Bachchan fought an election at Rajiv Gandhi’s invitation. Jaya, years away from entering politics herself, easily proved herself the more politically savvy Bachchan. Amitabh had failed to impress as a candidate, appearing withdrawn and a trifle pensive. Jaya took charge of the campaign, mobilised women and wooed voters in a language they understood.

Her simple emotional appeal as a “daughter-in-law” demanding her due from Allahabad floored Amitabh’s mighty opponent H.N. Bahuguna, considered a politician among politicians.

Ironically, Jaya’s re-nomination may offer some hope to Amar, who has been making overtures to the Congress. Now, with Amar bereft of any Bachchan baggage, his backers in the Congress may find it easier to push for his re-entry closer to the 2012 Uttar Pradesh polls.

The growing distance between Amar and Jaya had come out in the open barely a month after his expulsion. Amar had said he expected the MP to follow fellow actors Jaya Prada, Sanjay Dutt and Manoj Tiwari in leaving the party.

But Jaya told the media: “I would like to continue in the Rajya Sabha. I would like to complete my term because I have worked very sincerely.”

A month later, she said: “The Samajwadi Party has not lost its way. But personally, Amar Singh’s absence bothers me.”

Amar had replied sarcastically while addressing a rally: “Jayaji says she misses me. I want to say I also miss her today on this dais.”

Later, when Amar visited Mumbai, he did not stay at the Bachchan home. He blogged: “Nowadays I feel mentally relaxed. For the first time I did not stay with Amitabh Bachchan during my Mumbai visit on April 9.”

He added: “Normally in the past, I used to book a hotel room during my trips to that city, but always stayed overnight with the Bachchans in their house. Jayaji is not well, it was also her birthday that day. I went to their house, wished her and came back. It did not feel strange at all.”

Sources said Mulayam had picked Jaya for several reasons. One, he wanted to counter Amar’s criticism that the Samajwadis had been reduced to a “Yadav party” opposed to English, computers and other symbols of modernity.

Two, the party has been missing effective speakers in the Rajya Sabha, particularly after Amar’s exit. Three, Mulayam and his son Akhilesh want to showcase how the leadership rewards service and allegiance.

“The SP has nominated Jaya Bachchan as she has been a party loyalist and has worked hard to strengthen the party,” Akhilesh said.

Seven Samajwadi MPs from Uttar Pradesh are retiring from the Rajya Sabha but the party’s current strength allows it to send back just two.

Amar has ruled out his supporters within the Samajwadi playing “spoilers” during the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls. But he has alleged that Mulayam suspects he would engineer some hanky-panky. “Now perhaps I will travel abroad to keep myself out of it,” he said.

The Rajya Sabha members are elected through open ballot, so any MLA voting against the official party nominee faces automatic disqualification. Four SP legislators considered loyal to Amar ---- Madan Chauhan, Sandeep Agarwal, Ashok Chandel and Sarvesh Singh --– have been suspended from the party.