NEW DELHI:With the Opposition parties geared up for a confrontation with the government on issues ranging from land acquisition bill, MGNREGA, church attacks, swine flu and the recent corporate espionage scandal, the skills of the government’s floor managers will be sorely tested during the Budget session on Monday.
In the Rajya Sabha, where the numbers are stacked against the government, senior ministers including Parliamentary Affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu, Finance Minister and the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, are already reaching out to Opposition parties.
“We are talking to everyone at various levels. We also sense some parties would be raking up issues, than cooperate with us,” a minister said. A senior BJP minister admitted the government is talking to the CMs who felt that the amendments brought by the NDA, particularly related to land acquisition and coal allocations bills were necessary. “We have pressed them to raise the issue with their parties to support the bills,” said the minister.
Sources say the government’s retort to the opposition would be “national interest.” At a formal level, it would engage with all parties during the all party meet on Sunday. Prime Minister Modi, too, is reaching out. On Saturday he flew to attend Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s grand nephew’s tikka ceremony. He also met Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The first indication of the government strategy will become clear on second day of the session, Tuesday. Sources say it will introduce “pro-poor” and non-controversial bills in the Rajya Sabha where it lacks numbers, while bills on Land Acquisition and Coal block auctions will be introduced in the Lok Sabha where the government has an absolute majority. The controversial ones may be brought in the second half of the Budget session of April 20 to May 8.
In the Rajya Sabha, the government would introduce two bills—on the inclusion of new castes in Scheduled Castes List, and on regularising illegal construction in Delhi. It will also seek permission to withdraw the Motor Vehicle Amendment bill and Coal Mines Allocation Bill to smoothen the introduction of new bills. On the same day, the health minister will make a statement on swine flu.
The furore will start when the Land Acquisition bill is introduced. The Congress, TMC and JDU are likely to oppose it, while Anna Hazare and farmers groups will queer the pitch at Jantar Mantar.
According to sources, the first half of the session from February 23 to March 20 may not leave much room for discussion on bills replacing the ordinances, as the most of the time would be devoted to debates on motion of thanks to President’s Address, Rail Budget and Budget 2015.
Government sources agreed the Opposition will be energised after the recent AAP win in Delhi, and Nitish Kumar returning as CM in Bihar. “First BJP put up a candidate against Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu and Kashmir for Rajya Sabha elections where he won. Azad will now return as the leader of opposition in the Upper House. BJP supported Jitan Ram Manjhi, and even PM held a meeting with him, antagonising the JD(U),” a source said, adding that TMC after the Sharada scam would be belligerent.
The BJD, CPI(M), TMC have moved statutory resolutions opposing the six ordinances calling for discussion on the subject.