BJP undecided about attending Lokpal meet: Gadkari
June 30th, 2011 - 10:41 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari has said that his party has yet to decide on attending the all-party meeting on the Lokpal called by the government Sunday.
“The NDA will meet and take a decision on whether to attend the all-party meeting,” Gadkari told NDTV in an interview.
“The UPA wants us to attend the all-party meeting because now it needs our help,” Gadkari said while stressing that the government had not sought to include the opposition when it set up a committee to draft the Lokpal bill.
The joint drafting committee for the Lokpal bill, co-chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and former law minister Shanti Bhushan, comprises five ministers and five representatives of the civil society, led by Gandhian activist Anna Hazare.
The government has opposed the demand of the civil society activists to bring the Prime Minister’s Office under the Lokpal bill. The BJP has said it will reveal its stance on this issue only in the monsoon session of parliament.
Gadkari sought to play down his recent remarks about Sonia Gandhi, saying “she is not my enemy.” “If she invites me for tea. I will go and meet her. But I don’t regret what I said.”
“Sonia Gandhi says she will fight corruption. It is like Pakistan saying they will fight terrorism. Will anyone believe this,” Gadkari had asked a fortnight ago in Kolkata.
- Sonia writes to Hazare, Lokpal panel to meet Monday (Roundup) - Jun 19, 2011
- Congress suggests all-party meeting on Lokpal Bill - Jun 18, 2011
- Controversies will not affect working of Lokpal panel: Mukherjee (lead) - Apr 22, 2011
- We want strong Lokpal bill, BJP tells Team Hazare (Lead) - Jul 01, 2011
- All-party meet on Lokpal bill Sunday (Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- Team Anna to meet Sonia Gandhi Thursday (Lead) - Jun 29, 2011
- Fresh allegations against Bhushans, Sonia distances from smear campaign(Intro Roundup) - Apr 20, 2011
- Bhushan asks government to join debate on Lokpal - Jun 01, 2011
- All-party meeting on Lokpal bill Sunday - Jul 03, 2011
- Consensus eludes all-party meet on Lokpal bill (Second Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- Ahead of June 30 deadline, uncertainty continues over Lokpal bill - Jun 25, 2011
- NDA, Left attend all-party Lokpal meeting (Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- I don't support smear campaign: Sonia Gandhi - Apr 20, 2011
- Shanti Bhushan serves notice on defiant Digvijay (Lead) - Apr 20, 2011
- Hazare meets Sonia, to fast again for Lokpal (Lead) - Jul 02, 2011
Tags: activist, bhushan, bjp, civil society activists, corruption, drafting committee, finance minister, fortnight, law minister, monsoon session, nda, ndtv, New Delhi, nitin, parliament, pranab mukherjee, prime minister, shanti, sonia gandhi, UPA