Congress, Janata factions and TMC plan strategy to corner NDA

With the NDA still in minority in the Rajya Sabha, different Opposition parties are coming together to give the government a tough time in the forthcoming winter session.

With the NDA still in minority in the Rajya Sabha, different Opposition parties are coming together to give the government a tough time in the forthcoming winter session.

The Congress, largest party in the Upper House, has already showcased its interest in opposition unity after it invited several non-NDA parties for the celebrations of Jawaharlal Nehru’s 125th birth anniversary. Party sources added that its leaders like Anand Sharma and Mallikarjun Kharge are in touch with other parties to evolve a joint strategy to tackle the government’s ambitious plan to push several key reforms agenda in the session.

The Janata factions — RJD, JD(U) and SP — have planned a meeting at SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence to strategise for the session. As part of the arrangement, Yadav will be the leader of the group in Lok Sabha and JD(U)’S Sharad Yadav will be the leader in Rajya Sabha.

KC Tyagi, spokesman JD(U) said, “Issues related to providing remunerative prices to farmers, matters relating to land acquisition and the growing burden on common man would be the issues on which this front will jointly campaign in Parliament and outside.”

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee had already given a call for an anti-NDA front at the Centre. “I have asked Dinesh Trivedi to coordinate with other parties,” Banerjee told HT.

The Opposition, sources said, is looking at a strategy to delay the Insurance Bill. This is an issue where many Opposition parties are on the same page.