Opposition’s bid to end Rajya Sabha logjam fails
The Hindu
Venkaiah Naidu rejects request for all-party meeting.
A fresh attempt by the Opposition to find a way out of the impasse in the Rajya Sabha has failed. An opposition delegation met Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday demanding that he arrange a meeting of the two sides. According to informed sources, when Mr. Naidu declined the plea, there was a big showdown and the leaders walked out.
At 11 a.m. when the House met, senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma and P. Chidambaram tried to move a motion to terminate the suspension of 12 MPs. The House was adjourned within six minutes by the Chairman after the Opposition insisted that the motion be taken up.
Following the adjournment, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge along with Deputy leader Mr. Anand Sharma, Congress chief whip Jairam Ramesh, RJD leader Manoj K Jha and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut met Mr. Naidu. The Opposition leaders urged Mr. Naidu to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the 15-day stalemate on the suspension issue.