Cong has responsibility to convince SP on Lokpall bill: BJP

Chennai, Dec 16: Accusing Congress of not being committed to passing Lokpal bill in winter session of Parliament, BJP on Monday said UPA government had the responsibility to convince its ally Samajwadi Party about it.

"Samajwadi Party is an alliance party of the UPA. So it is upto the Congress-led UPA to convince them about the bill. That's why I am saying Congress is not committed about passing the bill," BJP national spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters here.

She said she was sure the views of Mulayam Singh Yadav's representative, who was part of the select committee, would have been recorded and that Yadav and SP members could always speak of any reservations they have over the bill.

SP was against the passing of Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha

The Centre had on Friday brought back the Lokpal bill in Rajya Sabha in an amended form but its consideration was thwarted by Samajwadi Party, an outside supporter of the UPA government, which disrupted proceedings.

The BJP leader hoped the bill be passed in this session itself, even as Parliament was adjourned for the day today after condoling the death of Union Minister Sis Ram Ola. To a query on the hung Assembly in Delhi after the polls, she said, "No doubt we are the single largest party after the results. However, we do not have sufficient numbers to form the government. We do not involve in horse trading. I got to see from the media that Kejriwal has sought 10 days from the Lieutenant Governor."

On her party's alliance in Tamil Nadu for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, she said BJP has officially not taken any effort for forging an alliances in the state. "Once anybody approaches, the party leadership will take a decision on that. We will go for an alliance which people want."

Asked about DMK president Karunanidhi's comment that his party would not ally with NDA as the present day BJP was not the same as when A B Vajpayee was at the helm of affairs, she said, "It is every party's prerogative to have alliance with a particular party. I cannot comment on that."

On Karunanidhi's charge that the 2G case trial by CBI was not fair, she said the agency would be made independent "once BJP forms the government". "It cannot be a puppet in the hands of any political party. It is our definite motive to give independence to CBI. All remaining issues are speculative, I do not want to involve."

PTI