Ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, beginning next Monday, this week will see all the give-and-take, firming up of positions, and negotiation for the legislative work during the session. The government will firm up its strategy for the passage of the goods and services tax (GST) Bill in the Rajya Sabha this week.
The strategy will have two components: Passing GST with the Congress; and what to do if the Congress opposes the Bill in its current form. The government will also work on the All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is also opposed to GST.
Rahul to decide on Priyanka campaign
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has returned from his foreign sojourn and is likely to act on a number of pending issues this week, including whether his sister Priyanka will be the face of the Congress or not. No, say Congress functionaries in the party. Yes, say supporters and followers of strategist Prashant Kishor.
This week will also see the forming of electoral allies in Uttar Pradesh. The tricky question is whether to send feelers to Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati who is losing one leader every day. But then again, will BSP votes (which used to be Congress' votes earlier) transfer to the Congress? And, will this not mean an existential threat to the BSP? These discussions are likely to go on all through the week.
RSS to brainstorm on poll strategies from today
Discussions on upcoming elections in four states, including Uttar Pradesh, and steps to spread Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) programmes are likely to be the focus of the five-day annual meeting of it's regional office-bearers starting here on Monday.
According to sources, the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, slated for next year, are likely to be discussed in detail and a strategy would be chalked out to ensure the BJP's victory in the elections at the meeting, which is an annual affair.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi and 41 regional pracharaks have arrived in the city for the annual meeting, Prant Prachar Pramukh Mohan Agarwal said on Sunday, adding that informal meetings are going on among the leaders. The sources said BJP National General Secretaries Ram Lal and Ram Madhav might participate in the meeting.
Agusta Westland echo in Chhattisgarh
An echo of the Agusta Westland helicopter deal is likely to be heard in distant Chhattisgarh. The monsoon session of the legislative Assembly will begin on Monday and end on July 19. At a strategy session of the Congress Legislature Party attended by, among others, Renu Jogi, the wife of Ajit Jogi who has walked out of the Congress and formed his own party, the Congress decided it would raise drought, Agusta Westland, and seven other issues against the Raman Singh government.
Cong to target Eknath Khadse in Maharashtra
In the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha, which is beginning its monsoon session from July 18, "corruption" by former state revenue minister Eknath Khadse will be the Congress' "top priority" to corner the BJP-led government. The party has formed a 15-member panel of legislators to chalk out the strategy to be adopted on the floor of both Houses.
The party has designated four former ministers to dwell upon issues which they had handled during the previous Congress-NCP government."Former revenue minister and senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse's corruption will be on top priority of the party," said former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre.
