NDA meet on impasse with Speaker deferred

New Delhi, Dec 8: The scheduled meeting of NDA leaders to end the impasse between the Opposition and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has now been deferred till Monday.

The NDA which was to consider lifting of boycott of its meetings with the Speaker and the Business Advisory Committee could not meet because most of the leaders were out of station, hence the decision will have to wait till Monday, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani said.

There were two meetings between Mr Chatterjee and Opposition MPs where both sides put forth their concerns and the matter is now almost on the doorsteps of a solution. The Speaker while rejecting the allegation of adopting ''double standards'' against the Opposition said all his actions and public admonitions of defiant MPs was unintentional.

He has, however, assured the Opposition he would ensure that the official transactions does not take place in the din.

The NDA having announced the boycott decision can not lift it without the nod from the leaders of the parties.

UNI