Government plans parties’ meet ahead of session

Anticipating the Winter Session of Parliament, beginning from November 26, to be a stormy affair, the government is planning to convene a meeting of leaders of major political parties next week to reach out to them and work out a strategy for the smooth functioning of both Houses and passage of key bills, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. With the BJP-led NDA at the Centre already facing heat over growing intolerance in the country, the issue is likely to dominate the session.

Also, the Left parties are trying to bring onboard non-NDA parties to corner the BJP-led government over the intolerance issue. The Left parties, sources said, are planning to move a motion in the Upper House, where the ruling alliance is in minority, to pass a resolution condemning the growing intolerance incidents in the country.

The NDA’s humiliating defeat in the just concluded Bihar elections has not only given a boost to the Opposition, but given more ammunition against the ruling BJP, which came under fire for trying to polarise the vote and for the language used by its top leadership during campaigning. Saffron leaders were also criticised for their controversial remarks over issues, including the Dadri and Faridabad incidents and the beef controversy.

Sources disclosed this meeting will be called either by parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu or finance minister Arun Jaitley ahead of the Lok Sabha Speaker’s all-party meeting.

Sources disclosed government managers are in touch with the Congress leaders over the GST Bill and trying to sort out the contentious issues after indications from the Opposition party that it could allow the bill to pass if the government agrees to consider issues raised by it.

However, the government will have to face the heat over its FDI proposal on media and defence. The Congress has already said that there is no national consensus on easing of FDI norms in these sectors.