Sonia chalked out the Bill strategy

It is learnt the Congress core group,which met on Sunday,discussed it and decided to take up the Bill for consideration. Sources said Sonia while interacting with senior leaders in Parliament after the Lok Sabha was adjourned during the post-lunch session made it clear that the government cannot merely sit and watch while the Opposition paralyses Parliament. She,sources said,was very forthright. The Opposition can bring a no-confidence motion if it has lost confidence in the government. The situation where the government cannot get its legislative business through cannot be accepted. She is learnt to have told Thomas to keep more copies of the Bill with him,mindful of the fact that the BJP members may try to snatch the Bill from him. According to sources,she also ensured that Thomas sat in between ministers on the second row.

Thomas was supposed to give a seven-minute speech and Sonia was seen gesturing to him to cut it short as the Opposition,initially appeared to have caught off guard,got its act together hit the Well of the House. While the Bill could not be passed on Monday,sources said the government would make an attempt on Tuesday as well. A senior Congress leader said the government will try its best to get it passed in this session and ruled out taking the ordinance route,saying is not workable given the complexities involved.