Deadlock over Telangana Bill persists, govt mulling extending session

New Delhi: The deadlock over the Telangana bill persisted with the government on Thursday accusing BJP of bringing amendments at the eleventh hour even as it said it could consider extending the Parliament session to get crucial bills passed.

The session, the last of the 15th Lok Sabha, is scheduled to conclude on Friday.

"We have listed the Telangana bill in Rajya Sabha and we would be attempting to get it passed. The question of amendments at this stage does not arise," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters.

Criticising BJP, he said the opposition party had moved no amendment in Lok Sabha, "(but) they suddenly changed their mind and want to move amendments". He said BJP voted against similar amendments moved by members of other parties in Lok Sabha.

"If they didn't do it (move amendments) in Lok Sabha, I don't see why they should do it in Rajya Sabha. I have requested them to let the bill be passed," Nath said.

With BJP pressing for a package for Seemandhra and moving amendments for the purpose, he said the government would like to see that Seemandhra gets its 'adequate resources, adequate revenues and full justice is done'.

"There are issues which concern Seemandhra, valid issues. Of course, the government supports all the valid issues of Seemandhra," he said.

Nath's statement meant that the government and BJP have not found common ground on the Telangana bill issue even though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and his party colleague M Venkaiah Naidu had a meeting yesterday.

The stalemate on the Telangana bill is over a demand for a constitutional amendment and a wholesome package for Seemandhra region. Asked if the government would extend the current session of Parliament, Nath said it could if key bills were not passed.

"We would like to see some bills passed and, if necessary, will extend Parliament (session)," he said, adding that till the time the business that is listed is not passed, the session would go on. Nath said there were certain bills on which there was no disagreement and that the government was also keen on the anti-corruption legislations.

"We want that the anti-corruption legislations are passed. They are much needed after the passage of the Lokpal Bill," he said. He said it was sad that some parties were blocking those legislations.