Manmohan Singh asked political parties to cooperate in reaching a broad-based consensus on challenges facing the nation.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today rubbished suggestions of mid-term polls saying the UPA had "all the numbers" and asked political parties to cooperate in reaching a broad-based consensus on challenges facing the nation.
"I am confident we have all the numbers that are needed," he told reporters inside Parliament premises when asked about speculation on mid-term polls.
Singh said he was confident that the budget session would run smoothly and appealed to political parties to cooperate with the government in tackling challenges before the country.
"I am confident that this budget session will run smoothly. I also appeal to all political parties to cooperate with the government in evolving a broad-based consensus on all the major challenges that our country faces," he said.
Singh played down suggestions to pressures on the government after the outcome of elections to five state assemblies saying "pressure is part of Parliamentary life".
"Well, I think pressure is a part of Parliamentary life. We are willing to discuss and debate all the issues on the floor of Parliament," he said.
"I, therefore, appeal to all political parties to work together in the spirit of cooperation to meet the enormous challenges and opportunities that our country faces," Singh said.
President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint sitting of Parliament was marred with disruptions with Congress ally DMK raising slogans over the issue of atrocities against Sri Lankan Tamils even before the dignitaries had taken their seats on the dais in the Central Hall.
Patil's hour-long address saw repeated sloganeering by members on a host of issues like statehood for Telangana, sub-quota for minorities and shortage of fertilisers.
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