Uncertainty over food bill passage as states prepare for August 20 roll-out

NEW DELHI: The passage of the ambitious Food Security Bill in Parliament this week hangs in the balance despite Congress readying plans for its rollout in some of its states, including Delhi, from Tuesday, the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. The shadow of Telangana has loomed large over the current Monsoon session which began on August five resulting in precious little business in the Lok Sabha while BJP plans to raise the coalgate issue this week in the back of latest revelations, party leaders say.

Congress appears determined on its passage in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi.

Tomorrow, the Lok Sabha is expected to adjourn soon after making an obituary reference to sitting member Dilip Singh Judeo of the BJP.

The food bill as also the land acquisition bill are being listed for consideration tomorrow and the day after. The two bills are seen as gamechangers by the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls ahead.

Minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said that the government will try its level best for passage of the landmark food bill on August 20.

"We will try to resolve the matter through talks.... We will push it (the bill) hard on the 20th", he said.

Some Congress ruled states including Delhi have announced plans to rollout the measure from Tuesday to mark the former prime minister's birth anniveversay.

But the agitating TDP MPs have no plans to give up their protest in the Well of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

TDP MPs, fighting for "justice" to the Seemandhra region, had commenced their protests since the session began on August 5. "There is no way we can stop the protest. Otherwise, people will not excuse us", said Naramalli Sivaprasad, one of the MPs, adding that the TDP MPs will meet their party chief N Chandrababu Naidu in a day or two.