By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress core group met Thursday in the wake of protests by some parties over the exclusion of minorities from the provision of 50 percent reservation in the anti-corruption Lokpal institution.
The meeting that took place in Parliament House discussed the way to resolve the impasse before the crucial Lokpal bill is re-introduced in the Lok Sabha, sources said.
The core group meeting was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and IT and Communication Minister Kapil Sibal, among others, the sources said.
Manmohan Singh is believed to have spoken to Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav who was among the leaders raising a clamour for the minority quota in the Lokpal structure.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned soon after it convened in the morning amid protests by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav over the exclusion of minorities from the 50 percent quota. They were also against the draft Lokpal bill reaching the media and news channels even before it could be circulated to MPs.