Poll results to set tone for winter session

• BJP to raise coal scam, 2G, misuse of CBI, Muzaffarnagar riots
• CPI to move adjourn motion on price rise
• Important Bills include Communal Violence Bill, Lokpal & Lok Ayukta Bills

New Delhi: As the Winter Session of Parliament is set to open on Thursday, topping the agenda of the Congress-led UPA Government is the Telangana Bill. The government is keen to push through this Bill in this very session, so that it would have delivered on its commitment ahead of the polls. Since there is time for the Bill to be approved by the Union Cabinet and forwarded to the President, who, in turn, would refer it to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for its comments and to send it back, the Congress political managers are confident that it can be brought to Parliament in this very session.

The Opposition, on the other hand, is bracing to turn the heat on the Congress-led UPA Government. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta has already declared his intention to move an Adjournment Motion on price rise on the opening day of the Winter Session.

At the NDA, the floor leaders meeting chaired by NDA Working Chairman L K Advani, demanded that since this is the last session for legislative business for the current Lok Sabha, the government should bring the Telangana Bill. In the next session, only a Vote-on-Account is taken before the General Election. The NDA, however, opposed the government’s new decision on Telangana, saying it was unacceptable.

The BJP, which is the principal Opposition party in Parliament, is all set to raise the issue of coal scam, where the role of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is being stressed, as he was the Union Coal Minister at the relevant time from 2006-2009. The other issues, which the BJP will raise aggressively, are the misuse of CBI and IB. Another issue the BJP is bound to raise is the controversial JPC Report on 2G Spectrum issue, which saw a record number of Dissent Notes, besides compromising the parliamentary processes.

Much would depend on the results of the five State Assembly elections results. If the BJP manages to win a majority of the States, then the saffron party may step up its offensive against the government. If, on the other hand, the Congress manages to win at least two of the four States in the Hindi-heartland – Delhi and Chhattisgarh – then the BJP may not go to the extent of obstructing the proceedings of Parliament.

As the non-BJP Opposition is set to press for discussion on the Muzzafarnagar riots, the BJP is seeking debate on internal security in the wake of increasing activities of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) as evidenced by the Patna serial blasts during the rally of Narendra Modi.

Besides the Rayala-Telangana Bill, important Bills on the Government agenda are the SC Reservation in Promotions Bill, the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, Whistle-Blowers Protection Bill and Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2013. The Government is also keen to push for the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, considered to be an important reform measure. Another important Bill on the Government agenda is the Constitution Amendment Bill is the Constitution (One Hundred Nineteenth Amendment) Bill, 2013 – India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, which has enormous diplomatic significance in the bilateral relations with Bangladesh.

The Prevention of Communal Violence Bill is yet another pet project of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, which is likely to be resisted by the BJP.

The government has listed for the ensuing Winter Session the Lok Pal and Lok Ayukta Bill, as Social Activist Anna Hazare has threatened to start hunger-strike from December 10.

The other key Bills on the Government agenda are the Right of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, and the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organizations Bill, 2011.