The insurance and pension reforms bills,hanging fire due to a lack of political consensus,look set to see the light of day in the monsoon session of Parliament as the BJP is learnt to be inclined to allow their passage. Opposition to the bills by the BJP,as well as the Left and other parties,was the main roadblock to crucial reforms in these sectors. While the BJP may not officially support these bills,it is learnt that its opposition to them would be customary at best and limited to a few fiery speeches in Parliament to register the partys broad criticism of the governments economic policies and their failure. Sources said the change in the BJPs approach is not just because of the fact that the BJP was the original proponent of reforms in these sectors but also because the party leadership feels it needs an image makeover from a trigger-happy party shooting down every attempt by the UPA government to revive the economy to a constructive opposition ready to give up partisan politics in the larger national interest. This also fits in with the partys plans to project Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a 'vikas purush in the 'Vajpayee-mould. Having announced its decision to raise the FDI cap in insurance to 49 per cent from 26 per cent,the government is preparing to bring the insurance laws amendment bill for passage in the next session. With the JD(U),which has 20 members in the Lok Sabha,already signaling its readiness to play ball on this issue,the insurance bill looks set to get parliamentary approval. We will,of course,put our objections on the table very loudly but we will not block its passage. Even the JD(U) seems to be in support of this bill now, a senior BJP leader told The Sunday Express,adding that the party would adopt the same approach when it comes to the pension bill. Congress sources said Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath had held several rounds of discussions with senior BJP leaders on insurance sector reforms and most concerns of the opposition party had been addressed. Asked why the opposition was blocking reforms,which had been initiated by the NDA regime,another top BJP leader said: While most of us are on the Right when it comes to our economic policy outlook,Yashwant Sinha had,for a while,veered to the Left. He is back to the Right now. But,the main reason for our opposition has been the brinkmanship of the UPA government and also the fact that the focus shifted from one scam and scandal to another all through. Former finance minister Sinha,who is also chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on finance,is opposed to raising the FDI cap in insurance. Some in the BJP also feel that since the party is looking set to return to power,why not let the Congress take all contentious and unpopular decisions,so that its successor can reap the harvest. Senior party leaders said a clear strategy would be formalised on August 4 in consultation with allies if the government decides to move the insurance bill.
