A Group of Ministers is meeting in New Delhi on Thursday evening to consider the issue of inclusion of caste in census. Government last month set up the GoM on the issue after consensus eluded it at two meetings of the Union Cabinet. Several political parties, including Samajwadi Party, RJD and JD (U), have been pressing for inclusion of caste in the census. The issue had figured prominently in the Budget Session of Parliament when the Prime Minister had assured the members that government would take their views into account before taking a decision on the matter. The BJP now appears to have reservations on its support to inclusion of caste in census. The GoM headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will have to take an expeditious decision as the second part of the census exercise is scheduled to begin in September. Other members of the GoM are Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Urban Housing Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. <br/>