New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has invited leaders of all political parties for a meeting Monday morning in a bid to resolve the stalemate in parliament over the nature of a discussion on spiralling prices.
Congress sources said efforts were being made to end the week-long stalemate in parliament, with the opposition demanding a discussion of the price rise as an adjournment motion that entails voting.
They said that among the possibilities being talked about was that of Lok Sabha speaker moving an agreed resolution or the government agreeing to discuss the issue under Rule 184 (which entails voting) but drafting the motion in a way that there is no need of voting.
Congress sources said that a climbdown both by the the ruling alliance and the opposition will help break the impasse.
Leaders of the Left parties Sunday indicated that they wanted the stalemate to end.
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Basudeb Achaira said that his party wanted to raise several other issues in parliament and did not want the logjam to continue.
‘There are several issues to be discussed,’ Acharia told IANS.
He said that his party will give its suggestions on the proposed resolution being contemplated by the government.
Both houses of parliament saw repeated adjournments last week over the opposition’s insistence on a debate on price rise under a rule that entails voting.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given a notice for discussion on price rise in the Lok Sabha Monday under Rule 184 and in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 168.
The opposition has so far stayed united on the issue of price rise. The Left parties have also been demanding a discussion under rules that entail voting.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Wednesday rejected the opposition’s notice for an adjournment motion the price rise issue.
The Samajwadi Party, an outside supporter of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, has also backed the opposition in its demands.
Party leaders said that a way out can be found through a dialogue between the government and senior leaders of various parties.
