Centre convenes all-party meet on sugarcane row

With the new sugarcane pricing policy creating an uproar in Parliament, the Centre has invited leaders of all political parties for a breakfast meeting on Monday in a bid to hammer out a solution to the issue.

Leader of the Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has invited the floor leaders for the meeting against the backdrop of DMK, a key ally of ruling UPA, joining the united opposition in the protest against the policy.

"We are open for discussion on all issues," Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal told reporters after the Business Advisory Committee meeting of the Lok Sabha.

The BAC meeting saw Deputy Leader of BJP Sushma Swaraj telling the government that her party has no objection to the ordinance brought on the issue provided it is not used as a "pretext to deprive farmers of their due".

The meeting saw the opposition making it clear that it did not want the government to take on the burden of Rs 14,000 crore to help the sugar mills.

Bansal said the government wanted to protect the interests of farmers.

Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is expected to be present at the breakfast meeting.

Opposition leaders said the two Houses of Parliament are unlikely to run tomorrow as the deadlock may not be resolved by that time.