Congress hopes for consensus on food, land bills

The Congress Monday expressed hope of an early consensus on the passage of bills after BJP chief Rajnath Singh said his party wanted the monsoon session of parliament to be advanced to debate and pass the food security and land acquisition bills.

"It is for the government to decide the modus operandi. We hope the government will be able to arrive at a consensus on the passage of the bills at the earliest. We are committed to the bills and want to pass them as early as possible," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.

Rajnath Singh said in Hyderabad that the BJP was ready for debate on both the bills. "We want the bills to be passed with some amendments," he told reporters here Monday.

Voicing concern over the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's plan to bring ordinances to enact the legislation, he said the government should not play a cruel joke on the people.

Congress sources said the party was not averse to advancing the monsoon session of parliament if the BJP assured passage of the two bills.

The government is holding a UPA coordination committee meeting Monday evening to discuss the two bills with its allies.

An all- party meeting to evolve a broader consensus with other parties may be called over the next few days after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath has held informal talks with them, said party sources.