Atal and Advani discuss Parliament issues with Speaker

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today met leaders from the NDA coalition ahead of the commencement of Budget session of Parliament on February 23.

The leaders who responded to Mr Chatterjee's invitation were former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of Opposition L K Advani and BJP Deputy leader in Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Braj Kishore Tripathi of Biju Janata Dal. ''We told the Honourable Speaker that the Opposition wants to discuss issues like terrorism and government's failure to check terror activities including the recent blasts on the Samjhauta Express and price rise,'' Mr Malhotra later told newspersons.

Asked if the Opposition was bringing an Adjournment Motion, Mr Malhotra said several notices were issued seeking discussion under 193 and 184. He however did not ruled out moving an Adjournment Motion because it would have to come after discussions with NDA partners.

In the second phase, the Opposition wanted to raise issues concerning Special Economic Zones, Foreign Direct Investments, Retail sector and the failure to bring the educationally deprived sections under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan separately, he added.

UNI