By Rahil Nora Chopra
Political future of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) has been revived after senior leaders from both the NCP factions held separate meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, signalling fresh speculation over possible political realignment. According to sources, Sharad Pawar is set to back the Narendra Modi government’s contentious bill to conduct the next delimitation exercise. If confirmed, the move would mark a break from the Opposition’s united stand after parties voted together against the bill during the last Parliament session. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule refused to confirm the speculation, but signalled that the faction’s stand on the bill would depend on its final shape and form. Since the last Parliament session, the ruling NDA has seen its numbers improve following splits in the Trinamool Congress and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. But the ruling alliance is still short of the two-thirds majority mark needed to pass a Constitutional Amendment Bill in the House. However, DMK’s frayed ties with the INDIA bloc after Congress’s tie-up with TVK in Tamil Nadu, have also raised the Centre’s hopes of managing issue-based support from the southern party. The government is expected to introduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 20.
CONG PARL PARTY MULLS STRATEGY TO OPPOSE CENTRE’S DELIMITATION BILL
The Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group held a strategic meeting with the CPP chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, to discuss the party’s strategy for raising top political issues of the moment, such as Ram Temple donation theft, ethanol-blended fuels, NEET question paper leaks, rising oil prices and the Indo-US trade deal, in Parliament during the Monsoon Session that is scheduled to commence from July 20 and continue till August 13. The party also announced that it would strongly oppose the proposed Constitution Amendment Bills on delimitation and the removal of ministers and chief ministers, as well as several other pieces of legislation that are likely to be introduced during the Monsoon Session. Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and other senior MPs participated in a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party’s top leadership was coordinating with other parties that had voted together to defeat the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on April 17. The INDIA bloc is scheduled to hold a joint strategy meeting on July 20, while the Union government has called an all-party meeting on July 19. The government is expected to introduce key legislations, including the constitution amendment bill related to delimitation and increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats.
MAMATA STILL UNDETERRED DESPITE SERIAL RESIGNATIONS FROM TMC
Amid growing desertions in the Trinamool Congress (TMC), party supremo Mamata Banerjee told leaders planning to quit to do so before the party’s July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally, maintaining that the departures would not anyhow weaken the organisation. On the other hand, well-known actor Koel Mallick resigned from the Rajya Sabha, dealing another blow to the parliamentary strength of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). Shortly after, Koel met Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at his residence in Delhi, sparking speculations regarding her next move. The latest twist comes after veteran Trinamool MLA Madan Mitra, Mamata’s trusted lieutenant, joined the rebel Trinamool camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee made it clear that she was far from hanging up her political boots, or sandals, iN her case! “Korbo, Lorbo, Bachbo” (I will fight and I will survive), Banerjee declared, while battling unprecedented rebellion within her party, and seeing relative control of Trinamool Congress slip from her hands. Both in the state Assembly and Parliament, majority of her elected MLAs and MPs have revolted. While majority of her MLAs have rallied behind rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee, 20 of her Lok Sabha MPs have merged with a little-known party and have extended support to the NDA.
CONGRESS’S KHERA MEETS WANGCHUK, ASKS PRADHAN TO STEP DOWN
Breaking its silence on noted activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike, the Congress reiterated its demand asking for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Congress MP and senior leader Pawan Khera visited the visibly frail Wangchuk on Friday at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and accused the insensitive central government of not comprehending the language of democratic protest. Over the past three weeks, several parties, including AAP, SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Trinamool Congress (TMC), CPI, CPI(ML)-Liberation and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have backed the agitation, led by members of the Cockroach Janata Party, which Wangchuk extended his participation in. Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav met Wangchuk and other protesters at Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike since June 28 as part of a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party, demanding wider reforms in the country’s examination system and Union minister Pradhan’s resignation over repeated examination paper leaks.
CHANNI VS. RAJA WARRING: PUNJAB CONGRESS STILL BATTLING FACTIONALISM
In the context of the serious ongoing factional feud in the Punjab Congress, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi didn’t meet former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi. While AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal met Channi, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Vijay Inder Singla and Pargat Singh separately. However, Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary in-charge for Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, are concerned that replacing Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring under pressure would convey the wrong message and may signify that the current leadership will continue ahead of the upcoming Assembly election in the state. The top leadership is also understood to be factoring in the existing caste balance within the state unit, with Warring representing the Jat Sikh community and Channi being a prominent Dalit face. Meanwhile, Channi and Randhawa have raised the banner of revolt. Despite indications that the party leadership is not considering a change in the state unit chief, the Channi camp continued to press its demands, fuelling speculation over the broader rift within the Punjab Congress. (IPA Service)
