New Delhi: After his threat of withdrawal of
support to the government, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Monday met
President Pratibha Patil and apprised her of his party's stand
on the issue of Women's Reservation Bill.
Yadav, whose party along with Samajwadi Party are
strongly opposing the bill in its present form, told Patil
that his party is not against the reservation for women but
only wants the "real needy women" of the society to be
represented through it, party sources said.
Former Union minister and Rajya Sabha MP Premchand Gupta
accompanied Yadav when he met Patil.
Former Union minister and senior party leader Jayprakash
Yadav said the meeting between Prasad and the President had
nothing to do with the issue of withdrawal of support.
"We just apprised the President of our view about the
women's reservation issue. Our leader said the Bill should
reflect real India," Yadav said, denying suggestions that the
meeting had anything to do with submitting any formal letter
about withdrawal of support.
Prasad will also be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
tomorrow at the all-party meeting called to discuss the issue.
Earlier in the day, Prasad along with SP chief Mulayam Singh
Yadav had met senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee soon
after the withdrawal threat.
Another senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jabir
Husain said that there is no change in the party's stand over
the issue and the opposition to the bill would continue unless
it is modified.
PTI
First Published: Monday, March 08, 2010, 21:43