PM holds consultations with UPA allies on Lokpal

NEW DELHI: On the eve of the all-party meeting on Lokpal issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight held consultations with UPA constituents after which a "broad consensus" was reported on the approach to the matter.

RLD leader Ajit Singh, who joined UPA yesterday, was among those who attended the two-hour meeting held at the Prime Minister's residence.

Briefing mediapersons, Home Minister P Chidambaram said leaders of all parties expressed their views and discussions were "very fruitful" and "very extensive" on the issue.

"Parties discussed the (Parliamentary) Standing Committee report on the Lokpal. The parties discussed the approach for the all-party meeting tomorrow. They will express their views in the meeting tomorrow," he said.

"There is a broad consensus in the UPA-II on the approach to the Lokpal," Chidambaram said.

He expressed the hope that that tomorrow's meeting would be "productive and we can reach conclusions on the amendments to the draft Lokpal bill and bring it before Parliament."

Among those present at the meeting were Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Chairman of the Parliament Standing Committee on Law and Personnel Abhishek Singhvi and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy.