New Delhi:
Prospects of an end to the impasse in Parliament over the price rise issue is appearing bright as the main Opposition party, the BJP, has said that if invited, it would attend the breakfast meeting proposed by Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee to diffuse the logjam.
"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," Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia said.
He was talking to reporters after a meeting of NDA leaders held at senior BJP leader L K Advani's residence. Among others, it was attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Ahluwalia and NDA Convenor and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav.
Though Mukherjee discussed the issue with Opposition leaders, sources said no formal invitation for the proposed breakfast meeting was sent. Neither were the Opposition leaders aware of the time and venue of the meeting.
Ahluwalia, however, clarified that BJP had not yet taken a "final decision" on its future course of action in both Houses of Parliament on the price rise issue.
"In today's meeting, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley was not present so no final decision was taken. We will also talk to him tomorrow morning before taking a decision," Ahluwalia said.
Asked if 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.
NDA sources maintained that they also want an end to the logjam and are agreeable to a solution which was acceptable to both the government and the Opposition parties.
Meanwhile, sources said Yadav had a 15-minute conversation with Mukherjee on the issue. A copy of the proposed resolution has been given to JD(U) and BJP leaders, the sources confirmed.
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.
The government has not given into the Opposition demand for discussion and voting either through adjournment Motion or under Rule 184 in the Lok Sabha.
Even in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling coalition is in a minority, the demand for discussion and voting under Rule 168 is not likely to be accepted and the Opposition will have to agree to passing a resolution against the government, sources said.
The Left parties, who were uncomfortable in being seen hobnobbing with right-wing BJP in Parliament over the price rise issue ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal, were the first to show signs of a climbdown when they floated the idea of a resolution.
The Left also broke ranks with BJP after two days and staged a protest demonstration on July 29 in Parliament House complex, outside the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, to give a message that it did not want to disrupt parliamentary proceedings.
The government too found the idea of a resolution critical of its "failure" to control prices of essential commodities and increase in prices of petro products acceptable as it comes as a "face-saver" after a four-day impasse.