Government Reaches Out to non-Congress Parties for Support on Land Bill, Say Sources

As part of its effort to push through the land bill in Parliament in this session with the help of regional parties, the Narendra Modi government reached out to the Biju Janata Dal today, sources told NDTV. Efforts are also on to bring on board the Trinamool Congress, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and allies Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena, they said.

Power and coal minister Piyush Goel met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Delhi today. Also, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee met PM Modi to discuss financial help for her state.

The Trinamool Congress has been vociferous about the land bill and after the meeting, the party chief ruled out backing it.

Sources said the NDA government was ready to accept BJD's demands for changes on mines bill for old mines. The government may even agree to BJD's demands on the coal bill and is studying the party's suggestions on the land bill, they said.

There were indications that the government may also consult the TMC before working on the amendments for the land bill.

BJD lawmaker Tathagat Sathapathy told NDTV, "Our party wants equity for land owners in land bill when land is acquired for economic and commercial activity."

The land bill, which was discussed in Lok Sabha today, is up for voting tomorrow. But getting it passed in Rajya Sabha, the upper house, where the government is in minority, is a hurdle. In the last session, several bills, including the land bill, got blocked in Rajya Sabha in face of a united opposition.

The NDA is thus trying to bring on board the regional parties, which would also help isolate the Congress and the Left Front. Union minister Arun Jaitley is negotiating with the Akali Dal and the Sena and Venkaiah Naidu is tackling the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, sources said.

PM Modi was said to have been against any dilution of the land bill. But sources said the government was considering some amendments after Akali Dal and Shiv Sena pointed that the bill was considered anti-farmer and it was important to remove the perception.