New Delhi, January 18
In a sudden change of stand, the BJP today dropped its demand for 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies citing lack of consensus and favoured making it mandatory for parties to earmark those seats for them.

The main Opposition party, which had been vociferously supporting the proposal for over ten years, said consensus was not in sight on the Women's Reservation Bill and "we cannot just sit and wait" and "break our heads" on the issue, on which there was no unanimity even in the Cabinet.

"The proposal mooted by the Election Commission making it mandatory for political parties to earmark 33 per cent seats for women was possible, easy and doable," senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj told a press conference here.

She said this proposal will end the debate of quota within quota as it was up to the parties to decide on their nominees and will also address the fears of certain political parties on rotation of seats.

Swaraj said the BJP has decided to support the Election Commission's proposal as possibility of a consensus on Women's Reservation Bill ahead of Lok Sabha elections next year was nowhere in sight.

She demanded that a legislation making it mandatory for parties to allocate 33 per cent seats for women should be brought in the Budget session of Parliament so that "2009 elections can be held on the basis of reservation."

The constituents of NDA are in favour of such a legislation while the allies of the ruling UPA have also indicated their support, she said. — PTI