<p>A day before the all-party meeting on the Lokpal issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held consultation with UPA constituents on the anti-corruption law on Tuesday night in which a ''broad consensus'' on the approach to the issue was reached.<br /><br /></p>.<p>After a two-hour long meeting at 7, Race Course Residence of Prime Minister, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said leaders of all parties expressed their views and discussions were “very fruitful” and “very extensive” on the issue.<br /><br />“Parties discussed the (Parliamentary) Standing Committee report on the Lokpal and the approach to the all-party meeting tomorrow," he said.<br /><br />Asked if there was unanimity among UPA allies on contentious issues of the anti-graft legislation, Chidambaram said: "There is a broad consensus in the UPA-II on the approach to the Lokpal” adding that “we will present our views at the all-party meeting”.<br />Chidambaram expressed hope that the all-party meeting would be "productive and we can reach conclusions on the amendments to the draft Lokpal bill and bring it before Parliament.” <br /><br />Representatives of all the coalition partners of UPA were present at the meeting. Ajit Singh, chief of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), who joined UPA on Monday, was also there.<br />From Congress, party chief Sonia Gandhi, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Chairman of the Parliament Standing Committee on Law and Personnel Abhishek Singhvi and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy were present at the meeting.<br /><br />Earlier in the day, Core Group of Congress also met to deliberate on various aspects of anti-corruption legislation. Congress and UPA allies held discussions amidst of pressure on the government from Opposition parties and civil society to bring the Prime Minister, Group C and D employees and the anti-corruption wing of CBI under the purview of the Lokpal Bill.<br /><br />The Core Committee of Team Anna will also meet for two days from Wednesday to chalk out future strategy, including the proposed Ramlila Maidan agitation, if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.</p>
<p>A day before the all-party meeting on the Lokpal issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held consultation with UPA constituents on the anti-corruption law on Tuesday night in which a ''broad consensus'' on the approach to the issue was reached.<br /><br /></p>.<p>After a two-hour long meeting at 7, Race Course Residence of Prime Minister, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said leaders of all parties expressed their views and discussions were “very fruitful” and “very extensive” on the issue.<br /><br />“Parties discussed the (Parliamentary) Standing Committee report on the Lokpal and the approach to the all-party meeting tomorrow," he said.<br /><br />Asked if there was unanimity among UPA allies on contentious issues of the anti-graft legislation, Chidambaram said: "There is a broad consensus in the UPA-II on the approach to the Lokpal” adding that “we will present our views at the all-party meeting”.<br />Chidambaram expressed hope that the all-party meeting would be "productive and we can reach conclusions on the amendments to the draft Lokpal bill and bring it before Parliament.” <br /><br />Representatives of all the coalition partners of UPA were present at the meeting. Ajit Singh, chief of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), who joined UPA on Monday, was also there.<br />From Congress, party chief Sonia Gandhi, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Chairman of the Parliament Standing Committee on Law and Personnel Abhishek Singhvi and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy were present at the meeting.<br /><br />Earlier in the day, Core Group of Congress also met to deliberate on various aspects of anti-corruption legislation. Congress and UPA allies held discussions amidst of pressure on the government from Opposition parties and civil society to bring the Prime Minister, Group C and D employees and the anti-corruption wing of CBI under the purview of the Lokpal Bill.<br /><br />The Core Committee of Team Anna will also meet for two days from Wednesday to chalk out future strategy, including the proposed Ramlila Maidan agitation, if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.</p>
