Congress assures smooth running of budget session: Naidu

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has assured the government of cooperation in ensuring smooth functioning of the budget session of parliament beginning Monday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said Sunday.

Naidu reached out to the Congress party seeking its cooperation for the smooth functioning of parliament.

In a meeting with Naidu ahead of an all-party meeting Sunday, Gandhi also raised concern over the Land Acquisition Ordinance that awaits parliamentary nod.

"I told her (Gandhi) the ordinance was brought after enough consultation with all states and stakeholders," Naidu told media persons here.

Describing the meeting as cordial, Naidu said the opposition has every right to raise objections and "we (the government) respect that".