The Pheu Thai Party Saturday criticised the Democrat Party for trying to mislead the public into thinking the government intends to sponsor the unity bill proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung.
The ruling party has already resolved to sponsor the draft submitted by Samut Prakan MP Worachai Hema, Anusorn Iamsa-ard, deputy party spokesman, said.
The opposition is trying to distort the facts and confuse the public, he said.
"There is no party resolution on the Chalerm bill. Even though some Pheu Thai MPs support it, it is not sponsored by the party. The Democrat Party is trying to fool the people," he said.
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra recently ordered the ruling party to adopt the Worachai bill.
This would provide amnesties for most people convicted of crimes related to political violence, though would exclude red shirt protest leaders and those who ordered the use of force to quell their demonstrations in 2010.
In contrast, the Chalerm bill would offer a blanket amnesty to all those convicted of crimes relating to political unrest, from the 2006 military coup through to the fatal clashes in 2010 between the red shirts and the military at Ratchaprasong.
Pheu Thai MP for Maha Sarakham Surajit Yontrakul said his group will on Tuesday ask the party to pass a resolution to promote Mr Chalerm's reconciliation bill as an urgent item.
"If it agrees, we may also have it combined with the [Worachai] amnesty bill.
They share the same principles," he said.
"It will then be up to the House to pick which draft should serve as the core."
Mr Surajit said even though Mr Chalerm's unity bill was strongly opposed by the red shirts, it was designed to resolve the root cause of the conflict.
"Someone has to make that happen," he said.
Deputy Commerce Minister and red shirt leader Nattawut Saikuar Saturday played down moves tohave Mr Chalerm's bill promoted to second place on the House agenda when parliament reconvenes.
The Worachai bill is currently atop the agenda, awaiting its first reading.
"We should wait and see how the public reacts," Mr Nattawut said.
"It doesn't help to speculate and create conflict," he said.
Mr Nattawut also said Pheu Thai MPs didn't need to take a position on Mr Chalerm's bill, as doing so would only reward the Democrats.
"We support the [Worachai] amnesty bill. But we won't say anything on the reconciliation [Chalerm] bill and allow the Democrats to politicise it," he said.
Meanwhile, Democrat MP Nipit Intarasombat Saturday doubted that the Pheu Thai party would back down from the Chalerm bill as instructed by Thaksin, its de-facto leader.
The Worachai and Chalerm bills will eventually be combined to serve Thaksin's interest, he said.