Headlines
No going back on land ordinance, says Naidu
Parliamentary Affairs
Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu Thursday said there was no question of
central government going back on the ordinance concerning the land bill
but it was open to meaningful suggestions.
In an interview to
Karan Thapar in the 'To The Point' programme on Headlines Today news
channel, Naidu said he was talking to opposition parties on the
government's legislative agenda for the budget session that begins Feb
23.
The government's agenda includes replacing six ordinances with bills.
The
Congress and several opposition parties are opposed to land ordinance
that they claim has diluted the provisions of land acquisition law
passed by the previous United Progressive Alliance government.
Asked about the contentious ordinance, Naidu said the government was firm on it.
"No
question of going back on the ordinance. We have held consultations
with state governments. If some meaningful suggestion comes, my
government will see," he said.
Naidu did not make a specific
comment on the possibility of the government going for a joint session
if any of the bills is defeated in the Rajya Sabha where it does not
have a majority as he appealed to the opposition parties to discuss all
issues.
"People want governance. Please support us. If (they want
to) oppose, no problem. Let there be constructive debate. I am not
doubting them also," he said.
BJP defeat in Delhi a setback, says Naidu
Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu Thursday said party's defeat in Delhi assembly elections was a "setback" and the party will learn lessons from it.In an interview to Karan Thapar in "To The Point" programme on Headlines Today news channel, Naidu said that the party will needs to reach out more to people and be able to win in a contest where opposition parties combine against it.
The Bharatiya Janata Party could win only three of 70 seats in Delhi with the Aam Aadmi Party winning the remaining 67 seats.
Asked if elections in Delhi should have been held soon after the Lok Sabha polls, Naidu said that this was a "tactical mistake".
"Definitely every election is a lesson. It is a setback. We will analyse, understand and take corrective steps," he said.
He claimed the outcome was decided the day the AAP promised to reduce power tariff by half and slash water bills, adding the BJP could not have made such promises as it is difficult to fulfil them.
He said voters thought that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi was good for the country and "Kejriwal with all his promises is good for Delhi".
"We could make the promises. He (Kejriwal) thought first win and then perform. We understand the reality," Naidu said.
Asked about the role of party's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, Naidu said there was no point in "going back".
"There is no meaning in going back. Kiran Bedi was not responsible for defeat. Whether it (her projection) added or not added that has to be analysed," he said, adding her own loss from the party's traditional Krishna Nagar seat was "unfortunate".
He agreed that the party should have taken early decision on candidates but noted that the party's vote share was almost intact.
"Every election, you have to learn lessons. The biggest lesson my party is to learn is that you are winning in a three-cornered contest. But when all opponents combine, you must be able to win," he said.
He said vote share of the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, Left and some other parties got shifted to AAP and BJP will analyse why all these votes shifted to AAP and not to it.
He admitted that some controversial statements of party leaders had damaged party's prospects.