Govt calls meeting of NDA to work out floor strategy

 

NEW DELHI: Facing prospect of a stormy winter session after Bihar poll drubbing, Government has tomorrow called a meeting of NDA leaders to work out floor strategy for the month-long affair beginning November 26.

Upping the ante on the issue of intolerance, JDU general secretary K C Tyagi today said the Prime Minister should signal his intent to act against people spreading the “venom” by removing five Union ministers, who made one or the other “provocative” remarks.

“The Prime Minister should remove Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Sadhvi Niranjany Jyoti, Mahesh Sharma, V K Singh and Sanjiv Balyan. Only having a debate on the issue and passing a resolution is not enough. The PM should give the message that he means business by removing these ministers,” Tyagi told PTI

Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu will meet the leaders all NDA allies at his residence tomorrow to chalk out the government plans on its legislative business and floor coordination plans amid indications of the Opposition parties closing ranks on various issues.

Naidu will also hold a meeting with leaders of all Opposition parties within a week. Lok Sabha Speaker holds an all-party meeting a day or two before the Session begins.

A day after Bihar poll results were out announcing the rout of BJP, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh met here on November 9 and decided to hold the session between November 26 and December 23.

Reaching out to the Opposition to pass key reform bills, Naidu had urged them not to interpret the Bihar polls result as a “mandate to disrupt Parliament”.

The CCPA also decided to call a special two-day sitting of Parliament on the first two days of the session to commemorate the adoption of Indian Constitution on November 26, 1949, and honour its architect, dalit icon B R Ambedkar.

Opposition may not be inclined to disrupt Parliament for the first two days keeping in view the sensitivity about Ambedkar and the seriousness of the issue.

However, Opposition is likely to raise the issue of intolerance, award wapasi, Dadari lynching, price rise and Centre-State relations in a big way as the legislative business of the House begins from November 30.

Tyagi said his party will try to create a larger opposition unity on issues.

Monsoon session was a near wash out and the government could not carry forward its legislative agenda. Sources said there are eight pending bills in Lok Sabha and 11 in Rajya Sabha. Key pending bills include land bill, which is pending before a Joint Committee of Parliament. (PTI)