PM begins discussions with party leaders

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 9. The all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today marked the start of a series of consultations with the Opposition parties and those of the National Democratic Alliance in the run-up to the India- Pakistan Agra summit.

On July 12 evening Mr. Vajpayee will meet Congress leaders exclusively to discuss in detail issues related to the coming summit. And on July 10 leaders of the CPI(M) and the CPI, including Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Mr. A.B. Bardhan and other Left leaders outside the parliamentary parties will be consulted.

On July 11, Mr. Vajpayee is expected to call a meeting of the NDA leaders to discuss all issues, some of which could not be taken up at today's meeting.

The Telugu Desam Party was the only major political formation that was not present at today's meeting, for, its leaders were preoccupied with the panchayat elections in the State. It was officially said after the meeting that if TDP leaders wished to see Mr. Vajpayee they could certainly do so.

This process of separate consultations was set in motion today with a meeting between Mr. Vajpayee and the Samajwadi Party president, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav.

In fact, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said Mr. Vajpayee would try and find time for any political party leader who may want to meet him ahead of the summit. And since there is no formal summit agenda, all important suggestions would be taken up seriously.

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Section  : National
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