NDA to attend all-party meet on Lok Pal Bill

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, has finally decided to attend the all-party meeting called by the union government to discuss the Lok Pal Bill. However, the principal opposition party made it clear that it wants the draft Bill to be first cleared by the union cabinet and then presented before the Parliament in the monsoon session.

Senior NDA leaders were upset that due to the division within the BJP on whether to go for the meeting or not, the partners could not take a stand earlier. According to NDA leaders, Janata Dal (United) and Shiromani Akali Dal had made it clear they wanted to take part in the all-party meeting. But, the BJP leadership was divided as one section didn’t want to accept the government’s offer.

“The first important question we had to decide was whether we should go for the meeting or not. We have finally decided to go,” L K Advani said after a meeting at his residence. NDA partners expressed displeasure at taking the final call just a day before the all-party meet.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena decided to stay away from the NDA meeting. It has conveyed to BJP that it will not take part in the all-party meet. The BJP leadership is trying to persuade the ally as senior leader L K Advani personally spoke to Uddhav Thackeray, executive president of Shiv Sena, and Manohar Joshi to take part in the all-party meet.

During the meeting, it was decided that the NDA representatives would first raise the question as to why the Opposition was not taken into confidence during the drafting of the Bill. The second issue would be on the status of the draft Bill since it has not been cleared by the cabinet yet.

“The government has sent a working paper, having the Jan Lok Pal Bill prepared by the civil society members and that prepared by the union government, to political parties. It has not been cleared by the union cabinet. The government has not sent us any talking points,” Advani added.

Advani also suggested the government first get the draft Bill cleared by the cabinet and then present it in the Parliament, the normal procedure to present a Bill.