'Consensus on office of profit soon'

      New Delhi: Taking forward the effort to reach a consensus on the office of profit issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi today met leaders from different political parties. Talking to reporters after the meetings, Dasmunshi said that he had telephonic conversations with the leaders of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Shiv Sena, Biju Janata Dal, AIDMK, adding that he met Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh in person. "My initial exercise is almost to be over today, then I'll have to submit the complete report to the Prime Minister tomorrow. And then the PM will take the final decision," Dasmunshi said. While replying to a query on the need for calling an all-party meeting on the issue, the Minister said "except L K Advani, by and large, leaders feel that a meeting should be held to arrive at a consensus".

     With Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi out of the controversy after her resigning from the Lok Sabha, it is likely that a Bill redefining the office of profit will very soon be finalised as almost all political parties have been affected by the issue either in Parliament or the State Assemblies. Dasmunshi had yesterday met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Leader of the Opposition, LK Advani, in his effort top arrive at some consensus. Dasmunshi had also met Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury and Communist Party of India's D Raja to get their opinion regarding the legislation. Both the Left leaders is reported to have told DasMunshi that Left had already demanded to bring a legislation when the first instance of office of profit cropped up in the form of Jaya's disqualification. Noting that neither the Supreme Court nor the Constitution of India have clearly laid the guidelines that amount to a post being termed as office of profit, both Yetchury and Raja have reported to ask him to convene an all-party meet to resolve the issue. Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh has said that his party is willing to call a session in which a law can be put in place, adding that when this session should be called is a decision the Centre has to take. The Office of profit issue, which started with Jaya Bachchan's disqualification from the Rajya Sabha, became a major controversy when complaints were made against Sonia Gandhi and other important leaders. In the States, the fate of Uttaranchal and Jharkhand Governments depended on a solution being found to the controversy.

'BJP consistently disrupted Parliament'

      Kolkata: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today came down heavily on the BJP and said that the party was responsible for not allowing Parliament to work as it disrupted its proceedings consistently for the past two years over trivial issues. "From day one in the last two years there has not been a single occasion when BJP has not disrupted the House by creating pandemonium on the floor of the House," Mukherjee said this after releasing a campaign audio cassette here on Sunday. Mukherjee also said that now BJP have to explain their conduct to the people as five states goes for the Assembly polls next month. Speaking on a broad range of issues including that of the Trinamul Congress' proposal of "Mahajot' (Grand Alliance) against the ruling CPI (M) government in the state, Mukherjee said that some parties wanted the Congress to ally with the BJP indirectly in the name of a grand alliance but it was never possible. On the controversy surrounding the UPA Governments reported attempt to bring an ordinance on office of profit issue Mukherjee clarified: "We had no intention of bringing an ordinance nor we are going to bring an ordinance right now ", and added that the Government will consult the parties and discuss on bringing a Bill. Mukherjee who eloquently praised the Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the "sacrifice that she made through resignation" criticised BJP for running a single point agenda to personalize all issues against her. "She never wanted to be the reason behind nation's division when she declined to become the Prime Minister and naturally she thought again this time that it is not very important for me to continue to be the member of the Lok Sabha, so she immediately resigned," Mukhejee added.

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