Sonia Gandhi to lead Opposition leaders to President to register disagreement on Land Bill

NEW DELHI: Even as the government remains uncertain about its ability to divide the Opposition to enable passage of the Land Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Congress President Sonia Gandhi will lead a delegation of around 10 Opposition parties to President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday to register their disagreement with the bill.

Youth Congress and Congress activists held a procession and dharna near Parliament street, on Monday, but AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi laboured later to defend the absence of party veep Rahul Gandhi: “Today’s agitation and court arrests were all coordinated by Rahul Gandhi.” He refused to comment when media persons asked for the location of Gandhi’s ‘coordination centre’.

For Tuesday’s event, Sonia Gandhi will be accompanied by West Bengal arch-rivals Trinamool Congress and CPM, SP, RJD, JD(U), CPI, Muslim League, RSP and JD(S). NCP and BSP have not confirmed their participation yet. Congress is pressuring the government to refer the bill to a select committee. Senior Congress leaders addressed a dharna the youth Congress held in Delhi on Monday against the bill.

Meanwhile government is undecided about when it should bring the land bill in the Upper House. Aware that several Opposition parties are against the bill, the government is engaged in discussions to reach an understanding.