Ignoring protests from opponents and allies, the BJP, on Friday, asserted that the controversial Women's Reservation Bill would be moved on Thursday. This practically seals the fate of the bill as Thursday is the second last day of this session and a consensus is unlikely to emerge by then. Soon after parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan announced next week's business in the house, two of the allies of the BJP-led NDA government, Samata Party and Janata Dal(U) protested that it would be unwise to bring the Constitution Amendment Bill seeking to reserve 33 per cent seats for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies till a consensus was reached.
However, BJP spokseman Vijay Kumar Malhotra told reporters that the bill would be moved next week whether a consensus was arrived at or not. Informal consultations among political parties were on and the home minister L K Advani would soon begin formal parleys with them on the issue, he said.

Reacting to the minister's announcement in Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav warned that if the Government wanted to pass the bill forcibly in its present form, his party would go all out to stall it. Singh reiterated that the bill must provide for sub quota for those belonging to minorities and other backward classes. Bureau Report