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PM trying for consensus on women's bill

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said that he will continue the dialogue with the Opposition leaders to arrive at a consensus on the Womens' Reservation bill as ''reservations and differences of opinion'' persist on this issue.

Addressing the parliamentary party meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi, Vajpayee reiterated the government's commitment to bring forward the bill.

The National Democratic Alliance manifesto has promised to bring about a legislation in this regard, he told his party members of Parliament.

To achieve this objective, he said he would continue consultations with the Opposition parties to arrive at a consensus.

Later, briefing newspersons, party spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu said Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani told the meeting about the government's commitment to the creation of the new states of Uttaranchal, Vananchal and Chattisgarh.

He explained that, with the dissolution of the last Lok Sabha, the bill in this regard had lapsed. ''The entire process has to be reinitiated,'' Advani told the MPs and said his ministry was studying afresh the bill to create three new states.

During the discussions, members from Orissa complained that relief and rehabilitation work in the cyclone-hit areas of the state was not being carried out properly.

They even alleged that political considerations were coming in the way of relief. Therefore, they demanded greater coordination between the Centre and the Orissa government to ensure speedy and effective relief measures.

Asked if the Uttar Pradesh political situation, in the light of Kalyan Singh's threat to topple the government, was discussed, Naidu replied in the negative. He said the issue did not crop up during the 45-minute meeting.

UNI

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