Will raise people’s issues, says Oppn

NEW DELHI: As Opposition parties aim to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Parliament during the upcoming monsoon session, senior leaders said on Monday that they want the session to function smoothly.

Emerging from the strategy meeting of 13 parties, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said they will want the House to function so that several important issues can be discussed. “The leaders of all 13 parties unanimously stated in the meeting that we want to see the House running. In the last session too, the entire Opposition wanted the House to run but the government wanted it otherwise,” he said.

Azad said they will raise the people’s issues to corner the government. “We will talk about unemployment, farmers’ crisis, issues of Dalits, backwards and minorities. We will also talk about the incidents of lynching and how reservation of SC, ST and OBCs has been stopped in universities.”

Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Anand Sharma, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ahmed Patel, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Satish Chandra Misra (BSP), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), RJD’s Misa Bharti, TKS Elangovan from DMK, CPI(M)’s Md Salim, CPI’s D Raja were among the leaders present. While these parties are gearing up for a fierce debate, the NDA’s friend-turned-foe Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has announced it will move a notice for a no-confidence motion against the government.

A Congress leader familiar with discussions in Monday’s meet maintained that although people have no confidence in the government, the 13 parties are not supporting the TDP’s move. This is partly because the TDP remains an arch rival of the Congress in Andhra Pradesh and it has maintained an independent stand after joining the Opposition quarters, said the leader.

Elangovan said, “TDP feels the need for a no-confidence motion as promises made to Andhra Pradesh were not fulfilled. But there are also other important issues related to our economy and social matters.”

A section of the Opposition feels that the TMC, Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Left parties may back the TDP’s move.

However, TMC leader Derek O’Brien remained non-committal about his party’s strategy.“We are yet to finalise our parliamentary floor strategy. Currently, the focus of the entire organisation is our rally on July 21,” he said.

The AAP did not attend Monday’s meet. A Congress strategist claimed, “They (TMC, AAP and the left) will support the Opposition stand on different issues.”

The parties also discussed the upcoming election of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman.