NEW DELHI: Ahead of the upcoming Budget session, the government on Friday reached out to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, seeking her and the Congress party’s cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.
While the BJP enjoys a massive majority on its own in the Lok Sabha, the numbers are stacked against it in the Rajya Sabha and the government is keen to enlist the support of Opposition parties for the passage of key legislations stuck in the Upper House.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, along with his senior colleague Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State Arjun Ram Meghwal, called on Sonia.
While assuring cooperation, she stressed that the treasury benches should allow the Opposition enough space in Parliament to raise issues of public importance.
Joshi told reporters that the government had always been ready to cooperate with the Opposition. Later, the minister called on the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The ministers would also be reaching out to leaders of other Opposition parties. Scores of legislative proposals are stuck in the Upper House after being passed by the 16th Lok Sabha.
On top of the agenda of the NDA government is to enlist the support of Opposition parties to allow passage of Bills to replace 10 Ordinances, including those on triple talaq, the National Medical Council and unregulated deposits.
The ordinances have lapsed, which would necessitate the government to push for legislation.
As many as 33 legislative proposals have been stuck in the Rajya Sabha, which also includes Road Safety Bill, which had earlier been referred to the Select Committee of the House.
On June 20, President Ram Nath Kovind will deliver the inaugural address to the joint session in which he would spell out the priorities of the government for five years. Both Houses will debate on motion of thanks to his address.