<div>Alarmed by the Shiv Sena representative’s decision to attend a meet called by NCP’s Sharad Power to devise a joint strategy on the Land Bill, the chairman of the 30-member joint committee, BJP’s S S Ahluwalia, on Wednesday (29 July) reached out to Opposition members to “arrive at a compromise”, said sources.</div><div> </div><div>The joint committee will take up the bill clause by clause in its meeting on Thursday, July 30.</div><div> </div><div>Interestingly, after Ahluwalia had called the Opposition members, Congress’s K V Thomas told Businessworld that his party was for “the middle ground”, as opposed to the Left and the Trinamool which are for total withdrawal of the bill.</div><div> </div><div>Parties like the NCP, BJD too would be for the middle ground, said sources.</div><div> </div><div>The BJP, meanwhile, was alarmed by the Sena public stance which said that it was not averse to taking support of NDA allies on the amendments it wanted to move.</div><div> </div><div>Sena’s Anandrao Adsul, who attended the strategy session at Pawar’s residence, told Businessworld that the Sena had made its public stand on the bill clear “from the very first day” and party head Uddhav Thackeray “had even written to Prime Minister Modi on the subject”.</div><div> </div><div>Sena wants an amendment for retaining consent clause “in the interest of farmers”. Asked by BW if the Sena would seek the support of NDA allies like the Telugu Desam Party and the Lok Janshakti Party on the committee, Adsul said, “why not?”.</div><div> </div><div>The NDA commands support of 14 members on the joint committee – 11 of the BJP, and one each of the Telugu Desam Party, Lok Jan Shakti Party and the Shiv Sena.</div><div> </div><div>Ram Vilas Paswan, in an interview on Wednesday, pledged his party’s support to the NDA on the issue. TDP, too, is likely to go with the government.</div><div> </div><div>Adsul meanwhile also claimed on Wednesday that while his party’s stand on the land bill was quite clear, NCP chief Sharad Pawar was also trying to drive a wedge in the NDA.</div>
