THERE were no signs of an end to the deadlock in Parliament with the BJP indicating further escalation of the confrontation over the CAG report on coal block allocation. Notwithstanding the near isolation of the party on its strategy of disrupting both the Houses for the third day today,BJP leaders are said to be unwilling to relent on their demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should take responsibility and resign. The mood of confrontation continued today with the NDA members trooping to the well of the House and disrupting proceedings,while Congress president Sonia Gandhi told her party MPs to take the Opposition head on and not to be on the defensive. Significantly,the AIADMK today joined the NDA deliberations to chart out the parliamentary strategy of the Opposition when the JD(U),which had expressed reservations yesterday,also veered round to the position that the confrontation should continue. Efforts by presiding officers of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha to break the deadlock also failed. While chairman Hamid Ansaris meeting with leaders saw reiteration of the stands by the government and the Opposition,the Speakers meeting was boycotted by the NDA. The SP and BSP leaders also stayed away from it. As the BJP stuck to its demand for the PMs resignation,the chances of Parliament doing any work tomorrow are ruled out. with PTI
