Parties meet today to break price rise impasse

Agencies, CNN IBN
Bellevision Media Network

New Delhi, 02 August 2010: Prospects to break the week-long deadlock between the Government and Opposition over the price rise issue in Parliament appeared bright on Saturday night with the BJP indicating it will work for a solution at Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s breakfast meeting on Monday. Leaders of the opposition NDA met at the residence of senior BJP leader L K Advani to finalise the strategy of the alliance for the meeting convened by the Leader of the House. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and NDA Convenor and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav attended NDA’s Parleys.

 

Monday’s meeting is being convened to draw up a formula for ending the stalemate in both Houses of Parliament after the opposition stuck to their demand on discussion under a rule that entails voting, which is being staunchly opposed by the government. "We have already given a notice under Rule 184 in Lok Sabha and Rule 168 in Rajya Sabha, which entail voting, for Monday. But, if invited, we will attend the breakfast meeting proposed by Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee to take a decision on ending the impasse," said Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia, who was also present at the meeeting.

 

 

Though Mukherjee discussed the issue with Opposition leaders, sources claimed no formal invitation for the proposed breakfast meeting was sent. Neither were the Opposition leaders aware of the time and venue of the meeting. The formulation to be put up by the government for consideration at the meeting is: "This House expresses concern at inflationary pressure on the economy and calls upon the government to contain its impact." Ahluwalia, however, clarified that the BJP had not yet taken a "final decision" on its future course of action in both Houses of Parliament on the price rise issue.

 

NDA sources maintained that the alliance also wants an end to the logjam which has washed out the first week of the monsoon session and are agreeable to a solution which was acceptable to both the government and the Opposition parties. Sources said Yadav had a 15-minute conversation with Mukherjee on the issue. A copy of the proposed resolution has been given to the JD(U) and the BJP leaders, the sources said.

 

The JD(U) has already given a notice under Rule 193, which entails only a discussion and no voting, in Lok Sabha on the price rise issue, sources said, indicating that the Opposition is agreeable to a climbdown to end the impasse. Asked if the BJP was open to the reported proposal from Mukherjee that a resolution "critical of the government" be passed in Parliament against the UPA regime on price rise after a discussion and the Opposition give up its demand for voting, Ahluwalia said all would depend on the offer that Mukherjee makes to the Opposition.

 

"It would all depend on how they (government) go about their proposal and how discussions with other Opposition parties take place," Ahluwalia said. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta favoured the acceptance of the government formulation but declined to hazard any guess as to what would be the outcome. Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal expressed hope that a way out would be found out at the meeting to end the deadlock.

 

Meanwhile, CNN-IBN has learnt that the government has proposed the Opposition a compromise formula that will allow the it to hold a full-fledged discussion on the issue of price rise. However, instead of voting, as demanded by the Opposition earlier, it would be followed by a statement. But, differences may once again arise over the wording of the statement as the Opposition may want to use the words ’price rise’. The government is adamant on the use of words ’inflationary pressures’. The proposal is likely to be discussed during the breakfast meeting to be hosted by Pranab Mukherjee at 9:30 am on Monday.