Speaker hosts dinners for parties before Parliament session

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) In order to ensure smooth functioning of the House, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has begun the customary exercise of holding lunch and dinner meetings for leaders of political parties on the eve of the Budget Session of Parliament, beginning February 25.

Mr Chatterjee has thrown a dinner for the NDA constituents tonight. He will meet non-Congress and non-NDA leaders over lunch and Congress leaders over dinner tomorrow. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to attend tomorrow's dinner.

An all-party meeting has been convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi on Sunday to discuss the issues likely to be raised by the political groups during the session.

He is also likely to use the opportunity to ask the Opposition parties to allow smooth conduct of the Houses so that maximum government business can be taken up during the session.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani, BJP's Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra and chief whip Santosh Gangwar will attend the dinner tonight.

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