Lok Sabha Speaker plans ‘lunch diplomacy’ tomorrow

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will engage in some “lunch diplomacy” on February 26 to ensure that the Budget Session proceeds smoothly and is not a washout like the previous two sessions.

Ms Mahajan, who has had consultations with several leaders across political parties, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, has invited Floor leaders and Chief Whips of political paties, along with Union ministers for a lunch to be hosted at her Akbar Road residence on Friday.

Parliament sources said delicacies from Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, which Ms Mahajan represents in parliament as an MP from Indore, would be served.

Ms Mahajan had met Rahul Gandhi and the Trinamul Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Monday ahead of the all-party meeting.

The Congress leaders have been insisting that they needed to be allowed to have their say in the Lok Sabha like in the Rajya Sabha where the ruling NDA does not have a majority.

Concerned over frequent disruptions of the Lok Sabha during the last two sessions, the Speaker has held consultations with a number of other senior leaders including BJD’s Bhartruhari Mahtab.

Sources said the Speaker has been in touch with leaders of other parties too.On Monday, after the all-party meeting, she had said a consensus has emerged that Parliament should run smoothly and that question hour is not made a victim of disruptions.

The Speaker has undertaken the “lunch diplomacy” at a time when the ruling BJP and the floor managers have taken a strong line against the Oppostion on number of issues including the JNU row.Batting the AIADMK and the BJD no key non NDA party is comfortable with the government. On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have yet to take a line on whehter they are with the Opposition or with the NDA or confine to issues related to Uttar Pradesh and dalits , in parliament.