New Delhi: The opposition INDIA bloc is preparing to counter the ruling NDA with an aggressive approach and will seek answers from the government during the Parliament session starting from July 22. This will be the second session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which will last till August 12. The Union Budget 2024-25 will be presented on July 23, which will provide an opportunity for PM Modi to outline the NDA government’s economic vision while the opposition INDIA bloc will use the occasion to question the Centre on various issues of public interest.
The first session from June 24 to July 3 was used to administer oaths to the newly elected members, election of the Speaker, President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha and a motion to thank her for the same.
During the first session, the opposition was aggressive over its renewed strength in the Lok Sabha with 234 out of 543 members against the NDA’s 293. According to Congress insiders, the ruling NDA has lost the majority in the Rajya Sabha ahead of the session opening on July 22 with only 101 members against the 113 required to cross the halfway mark in the House of 245 members.
At present, there are 225 elected members in the Upper House of Parliament in which the opposition INDIA bloc has 87 members with Congress 26, TMC 13, DMK 10 and AAP 10, RJD 5, SP 4, CPI-M 4, CPI 1, JMM 4, NCP-SP 2, Shiva Sena UBT 2 and IUML 2 among others.
This means the ruling NDA would be dependent on several neutral parties like the YSRCP, which has 11 members, AIADMK 4, BRS 4 and BJD 9. The BJD, which has become the main opposition in Odisha where the BJP recently formed a government, has already announced that it will oppose the NDA in the Upper House.
That has given wings to the opposition, which may try to mobilise the neutral parties in its favour. “The Rajya Sabha (RS) only discusses the Union Budget and does not vote on it. Certainly, the NDA has no majority in the Upper House and will have to face a united and aggressive opposition on various issues. When the chips are down for the BJP, its former allies may also prefer to flex muscles. Over the past years, the BJP treated its regional allies badly and they may pay back the saffron party in the same coin now,” senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Shaktisinh Gohil told ETV Bharat.
Similar aggression is expected in the Lok Sabha where former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is now the Leader of the Opposition. Recently, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi named the party’s new team to assist Rahul in the House.
“We will continue to seek government accountability on burning issues like unemployment and high price rise. The prices of essential items have seen an increase in the rainy season and are adversely impacting household budgets. Several states have been affected by floods, including my home state Assam, but there has been no substantial relief package from the government. We would want a greater focus on the entire northeastern region,” deputy Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi told ETV Bharat.
Recently, Congress communications head Jairam Ramesh pointed out that individuals were paying more tax than companies and that government data showed that the corporate tax cuts introduced in 2029 had put Rs 2 lakh crore in the pockets of billionaires while the middle class continued to bear the burden of heavy taxation.
Read more: 'Don't Expect Anything From PM': Cong MP Gaurav Gogoi Ahead Of Budget Session
