Have numbers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to get Food Bill passed: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress has said it is confident of securing the numbers in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to ensure the passage of the food security bill during next month's monsoon session.

The assertion came at a news conference held hours after President Pranab Mukherjee signed an ordinance to provide 5 kg grain every month, at Rs 1-3 per kg, to over 70% per cent population. As per constitutional provision, the ordinance has to be ratified by Parliament within six weeks of its next session.

"We have the numbers to get the food bill passed both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the next session", said Congress general secretary Ajay Maken at the news conference, along with Food Minister KV Thomas and Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh in New Delhi on Friday.

Maken said the ordinance was issued to ensure the bill will not be sabotaged by the Opposition through disruption of House proceedings when the monsoon session begins.

Party sources said its confidence stemmed from JD(U) and DMK turning friendly towards Congress since the last session, limiting its dependence on Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP. Further, Congress leaders calculate that the populist potential of the ordinance would limit the political capacity of the Opposition to play spoiler in the Parliament session.

This ruling side's assertion came amid exchange of words between Congress and BJP over the ordinance. The President's signature on the ordinance on Friday afternoon ended speculation that he had reservations about it.

It had even prompted BJP leaders to appeal to the President not to give his assent. The delay in issuing the ordinance was, however, attributed to the President seeking fine-tuning of certain portions in the draft.