NEW DELHI: Efforts by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance to find a way out for the introduction of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Bill received a boost on Wednesday with the Communist Party of India indicating that it would not oppose the move to revive the second chamber in the State.

The UPA parliamentary managers have been making attempts to introduce the Bill in the current session after it failed to do so in the last monsoon session following opposition from the Left parties, especially the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The CPI has conveyed to the Government that while it would not be in a position to support the passage of the Bill, the party would not stand in the way in its passage by Parliament, sources in the Left said here.

However, the CPI (M) while reiterating its stand conveyed that the party would discuss the issue in its next Polit Bureau meeting scheduled to be held here on December 13. The UPA Government's endeavour is to ensure its passage either with the support of the Left or at best without any opposition from these parties.

The Congress party had made an electoral promise ahead of the 2004 Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh to revive the Legislative Council that was abolished by the then Telugu Desam Government two decades ago.

The Left parties leaders also conveyed unhappiness over the functioning of Union Labour Minister, K. Chandrasekhara Rao. At a meeting with Defence Minister and Lok Sabha leader, Pranab Mukherjee and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Left leaders charged that the Minister was not attending to the work for a prolonged period, resulting in several ``important issues remaining pending'', the sources said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Rao who has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences after he suffered a fracture following a fall in bathroom on Tuesday, would undergo surgery on Friday.

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