Coalgate: Sonia Gandhi speaks to Sushma Swaraj over Parliament deadlock

New Delhi: In order to break the deadlock in Parliament over the CAG report on alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks, Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called up Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, the BJP leader revealed in her tweet.

"Mrs Gandhi spoke to me on phone. She wanted the Parliamentary impasse to end by our agreeing to a discussion. I told her that the Government should announce the cancellation of Coal blocks and institute a fair and independent inquiry. Then we could have a discussion," Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Saturday.

Taking the initiative, Gandhi talked to the senior BJP leader on Friday coinciding with her hectic consultations with the party top brass including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, sources said.

The BJP, however, maintained that there is no climbdown and the party still wants the Prime Minister to resign.

The BJP, however, said there is no change in their stand of seeking the Prime Minister's resignation on the issue.

"There will be no let up. We will further intensify our fight inside and outside Parliament," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Asked if the BJP would allow passage of some crucial bills, he said, "This is not a question of bills but of the nation. Our fight will continue."

Reacting on Sushma Swaraj's tweet, BJP leader Prakash Javadekar also said, "There is no climb-down by the BJP. Tweet has a limitation of words. As of today our demands remain the same. Final decision will be taken on Monday."

Congress sources said Gandhi's reaching out to Swaraj is a further vindication that the party is always prepared to consult all stakeholders on any issue in keeping with the best traditions of Parliamentary democracy, where a way should be found out through dialogue and debate.

Gandhi and the Prime Minister deliberated at length the strategy ahead as business in Parliament was washed out for the eighth consecutive day on Friday on the coal block allocation issue.

After the consultations with the Prime Minister and his senior Cabinet colleagues, Gandhi is learnt to have decided to hold consultations with UPA constituents and allies on ways and means to break the deadlock in Parliament.

The government has already rejected demand for cancellation of coal blocks and slammed BJP for demanding resignation of the Prime Minister over the issue.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is extending outside support to the UPA government, has demanded an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the coal block allocation scam.

(With additional information from PTI)

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)