Opposition ready to counter govt

Although a restive Opposition was not given a chance to display its ire at the "illegal" convening of a special session of the Lok Sabha because of the firmness of the Speaker, an elaborate plan to question the government at every stage during the passage of the railway and general vote-on-account, was being prepared by the Congress and the Left parties till late into the night.

Among the strategies being discussed by the Opposition was the relative merits of voting against the railway Budget, walking out when it was put to vote and some spectacular obstruction of the vote-on-account.

"The fireworks will be more subdued in the Rajya Sabha but in the Lok Sabha, expect to find the government being put on the mat," Congress leader Prithviraj Chauhan said.

The Rajya Sabha will meet tomorrow when the Railway vote-on-account will be tabled at 12 noon after obituary mentions. A discussion on private members' Bills will follow.

The Congress position is that by not proroguing the House the government had started this session illegally and had humiliated the President by denying him the right to address the two Houses in a joint session at the start of the new year.

Outside Parliament, the Youth Congress gheraoed Parliament till the middle of the afternoon and closed one road leading to Parliament in protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) policies.

The Lok Sabha was today adjourned for the day after it met briefly to condole the death of a sitting member Bhan Singh Bhaura and former MP Kushabhau Thakre and pay homage to the victims of the earthquake in Iran.

But as soon as the House assembled, opposition members were on their feet raising several issues including the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to abolish nine districts and to do away with customary President's Address to Parliament on the opening day of the first session of the new year.

They resumed their seats after the Speaker began reading obituary references but after a minute's silence in homage to departed members, Congress leaders were on their feet again.

They could not do much as the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. Nothing was audible in the din with Opposition members trying to raise issues in chorus. The Speaker did not give a chance to them to voice their grievances.

The vote-on-account (Railways) will come up at noon tomorrow at noon and the general vote on account on 3 February with the entire business to be completed by 5 February.

The discussion on vote-on-account in Lok Sabha on 4 February will be telecast live. The matter was discussed in the Business Advisory Committee and BSP member Rashid Alvi made the suggestion which was accepted by the Speaker.