Small parties form group in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: NDA constituents such as the Shiv Sena and Akali Dal have formed a parliamentary group of smaller parties and some Independent MPs to get more prominence

NEW DELHI: NDA constituents such as the Shiv Sena and Akali Dal have formed a parliamentary group of smaller parties and some Independent MPs to get more prominence and time to speak in the Upper House.

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The United Group, led by Akali MP Naresh Gujral, has been recognised by Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari.

Formed with parties with less than four members, the group has emerged as the largest formation after the Congress and the BJP in the Upper House.

“There was a dadagiri of bigger parties. We get time only towards the fag end of debates and can’t speak for more than three-four minutes as bigger parties consume most of the time,” said Gujral.

Talk time in Parliament is allotted on the basis of strength of the group or party.

In 2009, the Left parties had formed a bloc in the two Houses and secured not only more time to speak, but also better seats in the House.

Sources said before applying for recognition as a group, Gujral sounded out Ansari who approved the idea.

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Olympic medallist Mary Kom, journalist Swapan Dasgupta, MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar and parties such as PDP, YSR Congress, Sikkim Democratic Front and INLD are members of the group.

The leaders, however, didn’t approach Rekha, another high-profile Independent MP.

Gujral emphasised that this was not a political grouping within the NDA.

“We are only trying to create better space for ourselves to be heard in Rajya Sabha. This is not an anti-government

platform,” he said.

This is the third time such a formation has been recognised in the history of Rajya Sabha after 1983 and 1990.

The United Group cited the precedence while applying for the elevated status.