NEW DELHI: Even though the BJP thinks the Opposition has nothing to pressurise the government in Parliament after the cancellation of the farm laws, these parties are getting ready to bring up other issues.
“We are not supposed to speak on whether we have run out of issues against the BJP-led government, but we have a bunch of people-centric issues in hand,” said a Congress MP.
Asked the same question, AIMIM chief Owaisi Asaduddin said the Opposition has no dearth of issues. “There are hard-hitting issues like inflation and unemployment to corner BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections.” Asked if the BJP will gain politically after repealing the farm laws, especially in poll-bound states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, Owaisi said he does not think so.
As per sources, Opposition parties like Congress, TMC, NCP and the Left outfits have decided to make inflation, MSP, compensation to the families of 700 farmers who died during the protests and unemployment the major issues.
The stand-off in China border and refusal of the government to conduct caste census may also become talking points.
The TMC has already made a list of 10 issues to take the fight to the saffron camp. Among these, CAA and NRC are the prominent ones.
“But for us, inflation would be the main issue because it is impacting the lives of all sections of people. Matters like sharp rise in the price of LPG cylinders, petrol and diesel, other than CAA and NRC would also be taken up. It’s not that there is nothing to talk about just because the farm laws have been repealed,” said a senior leader of a Left party.
Members of the ruling party, however, thinks otherwise.
“The three farm laws were brought without discussion. Similarly, they have now been repealed without discussion in either house of Parliament. The Opposition tried to make noise about it, but it actually took five minutes to cancel these three laws. This leaves them (Opposition) without any issue against the government. What can they talk about?” remarked a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.