Monday, August 22 2005 18:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti today (Aug 22, 2005) met party President L K Adavni to demand 50 per cent quota for SC, ST and OBC women within the proposed 33 per cent reservation for fair sex in Parliament and State Assemblies.

"I am opposed to the Bill in its present form," Bharti, who also met Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, told reporters in New Delhi.

She said the party on the issue should take a firm view before it takes part in any all-party meeting convened by the Government to evolve a consensus on the matter.

Thiswas Bharti's second meeting with Advani on the issue.

Asked about Advani's response, she said, "He never says no".

Bharti said she agreed with BJP President's views that the Election Commission should ask political parties to earmark one-third seats for women at the time ticket distribution.

Bharti said she told Advani that, whoever went to attend any all-party meeting on the issue, should convey her demand, which she had been raising since 1997.

She said another option could be that BJP would bring amendment to the Bill on which members would vote as per their conscience.

The firebrand BJP leader had also met Janata Dal (JD) United (U) Parliamentary Board Chairman Sharad Yadav recently to garner support and later claimed that he too shared her views.

Asked to comment on Left parties agreeing to support the Bill in its original form, Bharti said, "The Left is unaware of the social composition outside West Bengal."