7 November 2002

LOK SABHA SPEAKER SEEKS SONIA'S COOPERATION

From Jal Khambata

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi on Thursday held a 30-minute meeting with Congress President and Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi as a part of an exercise initiated to speak to leaders of various parties and groups to ensure smooth conduct of the winter session beginning on November 18.

Sonia Gandhi, who was accompanied by Congress deputy leader Shivraj Patil, was urged to ensure prevention of frequent disruptions so as to allow the House to conduct maximum business and compensate for adjournment of the House for a series of days during the monsoon session, sources said.

They said Sonia Gandhi assured her party's cooperation while Joshi was quite blunt in pointing out that he would not succumb to adjourn the House under pressure tactics of political parties by creating repeated pandemonium.

Joshi shared his concern with Sonia Gandhi that the monsoon session was practically washed out because of such adjournments and ultimate closure of the session three days ahead of the schedule, sources said.

He would be holding similar separate meetings with leaders of other parties, rounding it up with an all-party meeting three days ahead of the winter session, sources said.

Boycott of Defence Minister George Fernandes on account of the Tehelka controversy, in which the Congress was in the forefront, may also end if going by the assurance given by Sonia Gandhi that her party would not bring the House to a standstill on same issue again and again, sources added. END