India: UPA coalition meets on eve of all party parleys on Lokpal

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) India's ruling United Progressive Alliance constituents are understood to have broadly agreed on including the office of the Prime Minister within the ambit of the Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill with some safeguards, as pressure mounted on the Government to widen the scope of the proposed legislation. Sources said after the two-hour meeting Tuesday night that the allies conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi that they will stand behind the Government on any decision on the vexed Lokpal issue. A "broad consensus" was reported on the approach to the Lokpal Bill during the consultations held by Singh on the eve of the all-party meeting on the issue. Briefing mediapersons, Home Minister P Chidambaram said leaders of all parties expressed their views and discussions were "very fruitful" and "very extensive" on the issue. "Parties discussed the (Parliamentary) Standing Committee report on the Lokpal. The parties discussed the approach for the all-party meeting tomorrow. They will express their views in the meeting tomorrow," he said. "There is a broad consensus in the UPA-II on the approach to the Lokpal," Chidambaram said. He expressed the hope that that tomorrow's all-party meeting would be "productive and we can reach conclusions on the amendments to the draft Lokpal bill and bring it before Parliament. Sources said the message that came out of the meeting convened at the Prime Minister's residence was that the ruling coalition should not be seen as succumbing to the pressure of the civil society. The Congress and its allies are understood to be not opposed to bringing the PM's office under the purview of the anti-corruption ombudsman with adequate safeguards on matters relating to internal security and external relations. It was also felt that an appropriate mechanism should be worked out for bringing the lower Group C and D category government employees under the ambit of Lokpal. Government is also not opposed to further discussions on the demand for bringing the anti-corruption wing of Central Bureau of Investigation within the purview of the Lokpal Bill, the sources said. Before the meeting with UPA allies, the Prime Minister discussed the Lopal Bill with Gandhi, other top Congress leaders and ministerial colleagues. The opposition BJP parliamentary party met also met during the day yesterday and decided to press for the inclusion of the office of Prime Minister, lower bureaucracy and a Citizens' Charter under Lokpal at the all-party meeting Wednesday. The Lokpal bill is expected to come up for consideration in Parliament on December 20, two days ahead of the conclusion of its current winter session, amid the looming threat of a hunger strike by social activist Anna Hazare. Hazare has been seeking a strong Lokpal and has already undertaken three fasts in his fight for it since April 2011. PTI