Budget session of Parliament from Monday
The Budget session of Parliament beginning Monday is expected to be a stormy event with the opposition set to mount an attack on the govt on a host of issues including price rise.
BJP, the main opposition, the Left and other parties, including two key partners of the UPA -- DMK and Trinamool Congress -- have demanded that a discussion on the burning problem of rising prices be taken up immediately on the first working day of the three-month long session on Tuesday.
On Monday, the session will begin with the customary President's Address to the Joint Sitting of both the Houses.
BJP and Left parties have indicated disruption of proceedings in case the issue of price rise was not taken up for discussion on 23rd February.
While Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said if the government agreed to a debate on the issue on the first working day, there will be no disruption, CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta said the Left would move an adjournment motion if this demand was not heeded to.
Unfazed by the opposition aggression, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the government was prepared for discussion on all issues.
Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party has threatened to bring a cut motion on government's demands for grants on the issue of urea price hike and plans to rope in key UPA allies like Trinamool Congress and DMK to support its move.
The opposition parties have identified several issues, including the government's decision to hold talks with Pakistan later this month, terrorism, internal security and the Ranganath Misra Commission report on reservation for minorities.
The BJP is also likely to oppose the report of Justice Sageer Ahmed on Centre-state relations, which it sees as an attempt to grant greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.
Opposition leaders have said there was no dearth of issues to corner the government but it is yet to be seen how floor coordination among these parties takes shape.
The ten percent hike in fertiliser prices has the potential to bring the opposition together as it has come under attack from diverse political parties, including BJP and the Left.
Besides SP, parties like the TDP, AIADMK, could also join them in vociferously raising the problems of farmers.
Opposition would also raise the issue of escalating violence by Maoists in various parts of the country even as Trinamool Congress wants a debate on political violence in West Bengal, which is likely to be opposed by the Left.
This would be BJP leader Sushma Swaraj's first session as the Leader of Opposition after her senior colleague L K Advani relinquished the post.
President Pratibha Patil will outline the government's plans and policies on key issues on the opening day on Monday when she addresses the joint sitting of both Houses.
The General Budget will be presented on 26th February, the Economic Survey on 25th February and the Railway Budget on 24th February.
The session would conclude on 7th May.
In order to enable the Standing Committees consider demands for grants of various ministries, the Houses will adjourn for a recess from 16th March to 12th April.
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