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Parliament's budget session begins on Friday
The session begins with the Left parties threatening to take on the UPA Govt on economic issues spelled out in the CMP.
The Budget session of Parliament begins on Friday in the shadow of assembly polls in three states and is expected to generate a lot of heat and dust. The Congress-led UPA coalition is likely to come under severe pressure from the Left allies and attack from the BJP-led Opposition.
The Left parties are unhappy with key economic reform proposals including the banking regulation act and the raising of FDI limit in the insurance sector.
On Thursday, the Left had given Finance Minister P Chidambaram a wish list of 12 demands.
In spite of the Government's assurance to the Supreme Court on a full discussion over the tainted ministers issue, the BJP-led Opposition is likely to put pressure on the Government unless the debate is initiated.
The bill providing for 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, the Patents Bill and the Disaster Management Bill should be taken up in this session of Parliament.
The three-month long session is expected to be tough for the Manmohan Singh Government in the backdrop of the BJP-led NDA giving ample hints to put the coalition in the dock on a variety of issues including the dismissal of Goa Government and the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service.
What may worry the Government the most would be the strident stance of the Left parties on a host of economic issues with virtually daily reminders that the support of the 61-member Left formation is crucial for UPA's survival.
The shape of things to come in Bihar and Jharkhand after the poll verdict on February 27 is also expected to have a bearing on the health of the UPA coalition, which would be completing one year in office in May.
A redeeming feature for the Prime Minister was the recent Supreme Court judgement on the issue of 'tainted' ministers, a matter that had rocked Parliament in the Monsoon Session last year.
The session, scheduled to conclude on May 13, may witness a real tightrope walk for Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who will present his Budget for 2005-06 on February 28 as he would have to keep the restive Left in good humour while ensuring at the same time that the economic reforms were carried forward.
