Vikash Sharma

Bhubaneswar: Giving another push to 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today sought cooperation from chief ministers of all States and Union Territories.

In a letter to all the CMs, Naveen wrote “Biju Patnaik was instrumental in ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in urban local bodies and government jobs in 1990. Keeping in view the success, Odisha government subsequently had increased the quota for women to 50 per cent in panchayat and municipal corporations in 2011.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Patnaik had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging that the Women’s Reservation Bill – seeking 33% reservation for women in state Legislative Assemblies and Parliament – should be passed in Parliament.

Yesterday, the ruling Biju Janta Dal had formed a high-level delegation to garner support of 22 parties including seven national parties for the same. Such decision was taken at a meeting held at the official residence of Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar.

Sources said that a three-member delegation of BJD led by senior leaders-Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, Ananta Das and Arabinda Dhali would meet All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) while another delegation comprising Finance Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera, AU Singh Deo and Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh will hold talks with Bahujan Samaj Party leaders.

A team led by Tathagat Satapathy, Bed Prakash Agarwal, Pinaki Mishra and Prasanna Patasani will be engaged in talks with Indian National Congress (INC) for garnering support in favour of the motion for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament and State Assemblies.

Apart from these, other BJD delegations will meet Communist Party of India Marxist CPI (M), Communist Party of India (CPI), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and regional parties including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Anna Dravida Mnnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Janata Dal (Secular) JD (S), Janata Dal (United) JD (U) and National Conference (NC) among others.

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