NEW DELHI: As the Opposition stepped up its demand for resignation of scam-tainted ministers, the NDA Government and the ruling BJP on Sunday readied itself to face the challenge and be on the offensive in the ensuing Monsoon Session of Parliament, which is expected to be stormy.
With the Congress linking the resignations of scam accused ministers to the smooth run of the Parliament and easier passage of Bills, the government and BJP leadership had a series of meetings with senior ministers to evolve a strategy for the session beginning Tuesday.
Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah held a review meeting with senior ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani and Piyush Goel and other party leaders. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also attended the meeting, in which the strategy to counter the Opposition attack in Parliament was discussed.
Later in the evening, Shah along with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu met the Prime Minister to fine-tune the strategy.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was unable to reach Delhi in time on account of bad weather, attended the evening meeting.
Though the Congress has been demanding the resignation of Sushma, Raje and Chouhan, the BJP leadership decided against it.
The BJP also decided to highlight how judiciary had earlier refused to take cognisance of Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s attempts to drag Chouhan into the Vyapam scam and said the party believed that there was no wrongdoing on the part of Raje or her son Dushyant Singh in the Lalit Modi issue.
Moreover, the BJP also decided to target Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in a disproportionate assets case.
A day before the session, Prime Minister Modi has convened the maiden meeting of all NDA constituents to deliberate on its strategy.
Modi would also attend two separate all-party meetings called by Venkaiah and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to discuss ways to ensure a smooth session.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the running of Parliament and passage of important Bills during the Monsoon Session would be “more easy” if the BJP took action against these leaders. It would also help the BJP in “correcting” its image.
Nothing unusual
■ Govt sources see nothing unusual in the re-promulgation of the land ordinance
■ At least 15 ordinances have been promulgated twice or more
■ An ordinance, with a life span of six months, has to be re-promulgated if it does not get the endorsement of Parliament within six weeks of the start of a session
Lokpal Extension
A panel, headed by Congress MP E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, examining the Lokpal Bill will not submit its report during the Monsoon session and seek extension for a second time to complete the task.