New Delhi: The standoff between the
government and BJP in the Lok Sabha appears set to end
tomorrow when a discussion on an adjournament motion on the
issue of black money takes place following an agreement
reached between the two sides tonight.
The agreement was reached after the Leader of the
Opposition Sushma Swaraj had a meeting with Finance Minister
Pranab Mukherjee.
Left parties, pressing for an adjournment motion on the
issue of price rise, appeared to be not happy over the
development and they could give their own adjournment motion
on the issue.
This was because there was a feeling in the Left that BJP
has agreed to the language of the motion, which is acceptable
to the government.
Sushma also had telephonic talks with Left leaders on the
issue.
Government sources said the Lok Sabha will have a
discussion on the issue of price rise on Monday.
Sources said the government finally reached out to BJP
after the stalemate in Parliament continued for the second day
today with the opposition remaining adamant on seeking
adjournment motions on price rise and blackmoney.
As Left parties and BJP pressed for adjournment motions,
the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha could not transact any
business amid uproarious scenes.
The Left leaders also insisted on an adjournment motion
despite a luncheon meeting hosted by Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee who made it clear to them that the government cannot
accept debate through such a motion, sources said.
Such motions are not liked by the government as they
amount to "indictment" of the ruling dispensation and
therefore they have consequences for it, Mukherjee told the
Left leaders, the sources said.
Seeing no immediate ray of hope, there was a feeling
among Government managers that the logjam could stretch up to
this week and normalcy could return in Parliament only next
week.
In the evening, Bansal had a long meeting with Mukherjee
in Parliament House after the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the
second consecutive day. The government also tried to reach
out to Samajwadi Party with Mukherjee having a separate
meeting with Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Finally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a meeting
with senior cabinet colleagues and Congress leaders to discuss
a way out.
The meeting was attended by several ministers, including
UPA's troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P
Chidambaram who is being boycotted by BJP in Parliament over
2G issue with the main opposition party insisting on his
resignation.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal as well as Congress President
Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel also took part
in the meeting.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 08:46