Cong issues whip, asks MPs to be present in House

The Congress on Wednesday issued a whip to its Members of Parliament to be present in the House in the backdrop of the Opposition's move to press for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on the price rise issue.

Congress sources said the whip has been issued to ensure the presence of all members in the Parliament. Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the Congress was prepared for a detailed discussion under a rule that does not entail voting.

Asked if United Progressive Alliance allies like the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam and the Trinamool Congress will back the government, he said, "Let the Opposition not doubt our unity."

On the Congress strategy in Parliament, he said, "We have only one strategy. The Parliament should work and we should have some productive output; a lot of bills are pending".

The move to issue the whip comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday threatened that it would settle for nothing less than an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the price rise issue and warned that the government's refusal would lead to a 'confrontation'.

"It is a serious issue related to the common man and anything less than an adjournment motion would not serve the purpose," the BJP's deputy leader in the lower house Gopinath Munde had said.

He had said if the government failed to heed to the BJP's demand, it would lead to a 'confrontation'. Munde had said the party will demand a debate on the price rise issue in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 168, which also entails voting, and request the Chair to keep aside the Question Hour.

"Almost all opposition parties have demanded an adjournment motion and discussion on the issue under any other rule will be unacceptable," he had said.