The government on Monday virtually rejected the Opposition’s demand to discuss the price rise issue under the adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha after realising that it will have to depend on the Samajwadi Party, BSP and RJD for support once again and persuade ally Trinamul Congress for the same if the Opposition presses for a floor test.

The government is on the defensive on the price rise issue, which has virtually united the entire Opposition inside Parliament. On the other hand, the Mandalite parties will not back the government “unconditionally.”
“We will not accept an adjournment motion. The government is ready for a short duration discussion on price rise,” minister of state for parliamentary affairs Prithviraj Chavan told reporters.
“We are ready to discuss any issue raised by the Opposition or the UPA allies,” he said.
The government sources said the Speaker had earlier ruled against an adjournment motion on price rise maintaining that it was an ongoing thing.
Mr Chavan, however, said that the Opposition was not serious about the issues.
“They are not serious. If they want a discussion let them have it. They just want to divert the attention,” he said.
While the main Opposition BJP will be giving a notice for an adjournment motion on the rise in prices of kerosene and LPG cylinders in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the Left parties are in talks with “secular” parties to corner the government in Parliament on the price situation and on Monday submitted adjournment notices to demand a discussion on the issue.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said, “We will give a notice tomorrow (on Tuesday) in the Lok Sabha for an adjournment motion on the rise in prices of kerosene and LPG cylinders which were announced after the Budget session of Parliament got over.”
The BJP will issue a whip to its MPs in the Lower House when voting takes place on price rise, Ms Swaraj said. Almost the whole Opposition seems united on the issue of price rise with the Left parties, BJD, JD(U), AIADMK among others, moving separate adjournment motions on it. Even the Lalu Prasad Yadav led party is planning to move an adjournment motion while BSP may demand a debate, sources said. The UPA allies — Trinamul Congress and DMK — which are part of the government, are keen on a debate on this issue.
The Opposition parties want voting on the sensitive issue to “expose those parties which keep talking about price rise but do not vote against the government”. While the Left parties want to see which way the Mamata Banerjee-led party votes on the issue, the JD(U) is interested in what stand RJD takes on the subject. Meanwhile, top Left parliamentary leaders would meet their counterparts from parties like TDP, BJD and AIADMK on Tuesday to discuss the strategy as to how they would take forward their struggle on rising prices, Left sources said.
Leaders of the CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc, who met during the day, said they have sent notices for adjournment of the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday to take up a discussion on rising prices and deregulation of prices of petroleum products.
Today’s meeting was attended by Sitaram Yechury and Basudeb Acharia (both CPI-M), Gurudas Dasgupta and D. Raja (both CPI), Barun Mukherjee and Narahari Mahato (both Forward Bloc) and Manohar Tirkey (RSP).
Meanwhile, the Congress lashed out at the Opposition for bringing an adjournment motion in Parliament on price rise and dubbed it as a disruptive tactic which the government would not succumb to.
“We are ready in every manner to discuss any issue. But if your object is to sensationalise and create instability, then we are not ready,” party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.
He said no individual member or party can decide the modalities of running the House as it functions according to relevant rules.
“We hope and trust that the Opposition, particularly BJP, will allow the Parliament to function in a constructive and harmonious manner,” Mr Singhvi said, adding that the party had information that Opposition wants to disrupt the proceedings.
Asked whether the party was confident of parliamentary support in case it accepted the adjournment motion, Mr Singhvi said the government had defeated the cut-motions during the Budget session.
Terming as “completely unreasonable” the Opposition’s decision to press for an adjournment motion, Mr Singhvi said, “while they have a right to propose, the House and the Chair have the right to dispose.”