Dinner Diplomacy: PM Singh invites top BJP leaders

New Delhi, Nov 16: After hosting allies, it is turn for Prime Minister

to welcome the

over a dinner on Saturday. It is said that Singh's dinner diplomacy is part of his effort to convince the opponents on the urgency to push economic reforms. The ruling coalition, which has been turned into a minority following the withdrawal of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Sept, is trying hard to win more friends to survive a possible stormy Winter Session of Parliament.

It can be mentioned here that the monsoon session of the Parliament was virtually washed out this year after the BJP, the principal opposition party, went on the offensive over the coal scam and crippled the Parliament.

On Saturday, Leaders of the Opposition of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, respectively and veteran BJP leader LK Advani are set to meet the Prime Minister at 8 pm on Saturday over dinner.

The TMC and some other opposition parties were planning to introduce a resolution against the Centre's FDI policy in the next parliamentary session beginning Nov 22.

The government is unlikely to accept talks under rule 184 (with voting) but settle for a debate without voting. It has argued that an exclusive decision does not require Parliament's veto.

Prime Minister Singh's hosting key leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati and now the BJP prove its desperation to reach out to major political players to successfully pass key reform bills like insurance and pension acts amendment bills.

The UPA is in a minority in the Upper House of the Parliament and can not pass bills without the opposition's support. Besides the two above mentioned bills, other important ones like those related to the education sector are also pending for parliamentary approval.

OneIndia News