Budget session resumes, Opposition strategy meet today

Opposition parties will meet on Monday at Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s office to discuss their floor strategy, a meeting where they are likely to zero in on contentious issues such as price rise, alleged misuse of federal agencies and the exposure of State Bank of India and Life Insurance Corporation of India to the Adani Group in order to confront the government in parliament.

People aware of the matter said the Trinamool Congress is unlikely to attend the meeting. Congress MPs are likely to meet at 9.30am.

A senior Congress leader, who asked not to be named, said the party is keen to raise people’s issues in the second half of the budget session, which begins on Monday. “We will continue to raise the people’s issues such as price rise, LPG price hike, Adani Group, misuse of central agencies, farmers issues and interventions by governors. We will continue to work with all like-minded parties and want Opposition to remain united.”

Another senior Congress leader maintained that collective issues as well as individual issues will be taken into consideration to evolve a wider unity among like-minded Opposition parties in the second half of the session, which will run till April 4.

The Enforcement Directorate’s probe on Opposition leaders, including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad’s family, the exposure of State Bank of India and LIC to Adani Group, which was accused of stock price manipulation, are some of the key planks for the Opposition parties.

The Opposition will continue to push adjournment motions—to set aside the scheduled business and take up urgent, Opposition-sponsored issues.

After the first half of the Budget session was partially disrupted over the Hindenburg’s report on the Adani Group, the Opposition leaders stepped up their attack on the government. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi drew a parallel between the conglomerate and the British East India Company, party leader Jairam Ramesh shot daily letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking specific questions on the group, and many Opposition parties sought a joint parliament committee (JPC) probe.

“The focus on Adani group will remain in the Budget session but we also want to raise price rise and other people’s issues,” said the second leader, asking not to be named.

A large part of the second half will be spent in discussing the demand for grants of a select number of ministries and in the passage of the finance bills. The government is also expected to bring a number of bills out of those pending in Parliament.

The first half of the budget session, marred with disruptions initially, used 84% of its allotted time in the Lok Sabha and just 56% in the Rajya Sabha.