JOIN USAhead of session, Cong woos Oppn
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accused the opposition of being impatient to obstruct government functioning, the Congress has decided to convene an all-party meeting for a consensus on holding a special session of Parliament.
The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government intends to pass the crucial Food Security and Land Acquisition Bills in the special session.
At the core group meeting on Saturday, the Congress, banking on these bills to brighten their 2014 electoral prospects, agreed to deliberate their Parliamentary strategy and take views of their ruling partners during UPA’s coordination committee meeting to be held on Monday.
Congress sources said that a two-day session might take place if all the parties agree to meet on June 7 for achieving unanimity on the issue. The BJP, miffed over the prime minister’s impatient remark had earlier said that they have no reservation on having a special session for passing the two bills since their demand for the ouster of Union law and railway ministers was fulfilled.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “Prime Minister since your government is more corrupt than even before, we have to be more impatient than ever before.” At the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath was authorised to speak to other party leaders and bring them on-board.
The core group also discussed the Telangana issue that has precipitated politically after two Congress MPs and senior leader K Keshava Rao recently joined the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).
The TRS is organising a huge rally to publicly welcome them into the party created to give a political direction to statehood aspirations.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh (AP) Ghulam Nabi Azad, who attended the meeting, is believed to have told that they have leaders who can be propped up to contain the damage.
But, a reluctant Congress might be compelled to take some decision on the issue after the Assembly session, to begin from June 10, concludes. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is also believed to have given a feed back on Jharkhand, which is under president’s rule, and Chattissgarh, reeling under Maoist attack.
Sources said Shinde tried to impress upon the top leadership to push through road requirement plan and central financial assistance in left-wing extremism affected states.