Govt at a loss on how to break Parliament stalemate

Hope of deal with BJP on UPA's food security Bill seems to fade

The lack of inclination among opposition parties to allow a discussion in Parliament on the government's food security Bill, the latter's priority, shows no sign of a settlement.

Hope of a deal with the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which gave rise to a proposal on Thursday about possible extension of the session to September 5, seemed to fade by the end of the day. After parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath spoke on it at the Business Advisory Committee, it was decided this would be taken up later. The session was slated to end on August 30.

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha (the food Bill is stuck there) is to hold a meeting with all parties on Friday morning, on what to do.

Earlier on Thursday, the government conceded the opposition demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to speak on the missing files in the coal 'scam'. The government also moved a motion in the Lok Sabha for expulsion of 11 MPs from the Telangana region (seven Congress and four Telugu Desam) who'd been consistently disrupting the house for several days on the state's proposed bifurcation. It later said this was on the "understanding" that it would get the support of the opposition benches, on this and to enable the food Bill to be discussed in the house.

However, opposition head Sushma Swaraj said she was opposing the motion, saying her party was firmly in favour of the formation of Telangana. In the ensuing din, the House was adjourned for the day.

Congress party spokesman Sandeep Dikshit said: "Excuses are being found to scuttle the food Bill."

He noted the the Rajya Sabha was functioning relatively smoothly, unlike the Lok Sabha where this Bill was slated for discussion. "The BJP is primarily using the excuse of the din to postpone debate on the food Bill," he charged.

The Congress says BJP-ruled states such as Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had seen suspension of legislators to ensure smooth functioning of the elected assembly. "Its only when it's Parliament that they view it as an assault on democracy," said a Congress leader. In the past, Telangana MPs had been made to sit out for an entire session when their protests were disrupting the proceedings; the BJP then had no issues, he added.

Some in the government camp are in favour of withdrawing the decision to expel the MPs.

Another view is that Parliament should simply be adjourned indefinitely.

RUMBLE IN THE HOUSE

* Hope of a deal with the main opposition BJP on the food security Bill had given rise to a proposal on Thursday about possible extension of the Parliament session to September 5. The session was slated to end on August 30

* After Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath spoke on the issue at the Business Advisory Committee, it was decided this would be taken up later

* The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, where the food Bill is stuck, is to hold a meeting with all parties on Friday morning on what to do

* Congress spokesman Sandeep Dikshit (pictured) said the BJP was primarily using the excuse of the din over the resignation of Telangana MPs to postpone debate on the food Bill