“No one should be rigid. We will reach a certain (middle) point... let them (ally TMC and other parties) also come to a certain point. There should be give and take,” Narayanasamy told The Indian Express at the Idea Exchange programme today.

Following the embarrassment in Rajya Sabha, the Congress is keen for a consensus by discussing the amendments moved by several political parties. “Not just those of Trinamool, we are ready to consider all the amendments with an open mind,” he said.

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool had objected to Part-III of the Lokpal Bill, which deals with the creation of Lokayuktas at the state level. The TMC saw it as an attack on the powers of the state and wanted the Centre to leave the creation of Lokayuktas to respective state governments. Almost every regional party and the BJP supported the TMC.

On January 2, the TMC had made it clear that it stayed opposed to the Lokayukta parts and, if the government omitted that, it would support the rest of the Lokpal Bill.

Speaking on the compulsions of coalition politics, Narayanasamy admitted there were difficulties. “Sometimes managing day to day gets difficult. But in a coalition government, you manage them, you rule; you don’t manage them, you don’t rule,” he said.

Now, the UPA could consider forming a coordination committee for allies on the lines of UPA-I, which ruled with outside support from the Left parties.