Congress cries foul, links stalling of Parliament to food bill

NEW DELHI: With the motion to suspend agiating MPs from Andhra Pradesh in Parliament turning into a fiasco, Congress today virtually accused the Opposition of betrayal and threatened to "explore other options" if the food security bill remained in limbo.

"If it (the bill) does not pass in this session, the government may have to explore other options," party spokesperson Sandip Dikshit said accusing the Opposition of "looking for excuses to stall the food security measure".

A leader speaking on condition of anonymity said that if the Opposition does not allow the passage of the bill, the government may be left with no other option than to adjourn the House sine die and re-promulgate the Ordinance on food security.

The Ordinance issued in July will expire at end of the Monsoon session.

While Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is calling a meeting of the leaders of all parties in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, the talk in Opposition circles is that Government could withdraw the motion tomorrow and adjourn the House sine die.

"Government is in constant touch with all parties and we hope to resolve it," Dikshit said at the AICC briefing.

He at the same time said that Congress was "surprised" to see the Opposition parties protesting against the resolution moved for suspension of the TDP MPs, which was "done as a last resort" to run the House and after an "understanding" with all parties.

"We are disappointed that all those parties, which were expressing a different opinion till yesterday, today opposed the resolution. Government must have brought about the motion only when there would have been a broad understanding among political parties. There was some broad agreement among the parties. That is why the motion was brought about," Dikshit said.

Another party leader said that immediately after the House adjourned, Kumar met leaders of all political parties during which Leader Sushma Swaraj said that her party's mood changed as the situation had changed when asked why all of a sudden BJP had decided to oppose the resolution.

Sources in Congress said that BJP was expected to walk out after the government moved the motion for suspension.