Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leader Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with other leaders at the opposition meet in Bengaluru on July 17, 2023. (Pic: Twitter/@kharge)
The monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 20 and go on till August 11
The opposition will enter the monsoon session of Parliament with a spring in its step. It’s convinced that it has hit a jackpot with the new name of its alliance: ‘INDIA’. And it’s armed with several issues with which it hopes to counter the government—from the Manipur violence to misuse of the CBI and ED, and the Delhi ordinance.
But there are a few issues that may cast a shadow on the opposition unity and expose the fissures.
West Bengal panchayat poll violence
The Bharatiya Janata Party plans to counter the Manipur pressure from the opposition by asking for a discussion on the panchayat poll violence. And there is a problem here. While the BJP will target the Trinamool Congress on the matter, it will keenly watch the Congress and Left, both of whom at the state level have attacked the TMC. For the sake of opposition unity, the two outfits are mum on the issue. Can they afford to do so in Parliament too with their constituents watching back home?
Delhi ordinance
Just ahead of the Bengaluru opposition meeting, the Congress gave in to the Aam Aadmi Party and decided not to support the ordinance. While smiles broke out, many Punjab and Delhi Congress leaders were squirming.
So when the ordinance comes up for voting in Parliament as a bill, Punjab Congress MPs will be watching with apprehension. One Congress leader told News18, “In the worst-case scenario, it’s best if our party decides to abstain. In any case, the numbers are with the BJP, it will be passed. But openly voting against it will be a loss of face both for our state unit which is fighting the state government, and just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, it will be tough.”
Adani issue
Sources say the Congress is keen to raise this topic once again. In Rahul Gandhi’s absence because of his disqualification from Parliament, the party wants to raise an issue, which is dear to the former MP. But other opposition parties like the TMC, AAP, and Samajwadi Party are not too keen as they feel this is an issue that didn’t resonate with the public.
Nonetheless, as the BJP finds chinks in the armour of the opposition, the latter hopes the idea of INDIA would help it overcome these hiccups.
