Anita Katyal | A new mood in 18th Lok Sabha; Prasad dalit face for dy speaker
7 July 2024 12:00 AM IST
Shifts in power dynamics and strategic moves shape the debate in Parliament's latest session
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi with Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad in the House during ongoing Parliament session. (Image: PTI)
The mood in the Treasury and Opposition benches during the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha clearly reflected the change in the composition of the Lower House. Having been at the receiving end of a numerically strong ruling dispensation for the last 10 years, belligerent Opposition parties drew confidence from their improved bench strength, making it clear they could not be pushed around anymore. This was evident from newly-appointed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s fiery speech during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President. While the Opposition was all fire and brimstone, the ruling party members appeared decidedly listless. The shouts of “Modi, Modi” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in the Lok Sabha were comparatively weaker as compared to the earlier sessions. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi was allowed to have his say with minimum interruptions from the Treasury benches, a vast change from the past. And again the BJP members did not exactly leap up to back the Prime Minister when he intervened to rebut Rahul Gandhi. The BJP benches lost interest in the proceedings once their senior party leaders left the House allowing the Opposition a free run. Except for Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan, BJP’s allies were not heard making overly supportive statements.
Well aware that its election campaign on the BJP’s proposal to amend the Constitution resonated with the electorate, especially the dalits, the Congress-led INDIA alliance is continuing to focus on this issue as seen in the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha. The Opposition has extended the “Samvidhan khatre mein hai” narrative to dalit assertion with plans to woo the Scheduled Castes to its fold. It is for this reason, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party gave pride of place in the Lok Sabha to its dalit members — K. Suresh and Awadhesh Prasad. While Mr Suresh was pitched as the combined Opposition’s candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, it plans to field Mr Prasad for the deputy speaker’s position whenever the election is notified. Besides being a dalit, Mr Prasad defeated the BJP in Ayodhya, which is part of the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency. The BJP is clearly rattled by the Opposition’s ongoing focus on the Constitution. It was, therefore, no surprise that the President’s address and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s replies to the debate in Parliament dwelt at length on how the Congress had undermined the Constitution during Emergency.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren’s decision to reclaim the chief minister’s post from party colleague Champai Soren on his release from jail was not totally unexpected though everyone in the state was surprised at the hectic pace these developments unfolded. A section in JMM maintained it was necessary that Hemant Soren take charge again before the forthcoming Assembly polls as he has the stature and profile to expand the party’s base especially since the Lok Sabha election showed that the party was confined to the tribal belt. The JMM emerged victorious in Dumka, Rajmahal and Singhbhum — all reserved seats. But that’s the charitable explanation. The other reason given is that had Champai Soren continued as chief minister, it would be impossible to dislodge him if the JMM does well in the assembly polls as the party’s victory would be credited to him. All eyes are on Champai Soren now. Will he accept this decision quietly or create problems for the JMM?
With several Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant, the Congress Party’s communications department is abuzz with excitement as word has got around that one person from the department is likely to be rewarded with a berth in the Upper House. National spokesperson Pawan Khera and his colleague Supriya Shrinate are said to be in the race. While a disappointed Mr Khera had, in the past remarked there was perhaps something lacking in his “tapasya” that he filed to make the cut, Supriya is said to be a strong contender as social media campaigns she handled during the elections made a big impact and went a long way in lifting the Congress profile. Since it is well known that Mr Khera and Supriya are not exactly best friends, there are others like Karnataka leader L. Hanumanthaiah who is hoping the rivalry between Mr Khera and Supriya will work to his advantage.
Well aware that its election campaign on the BJP’s proposal to amend the Constitution resonated with the electorate, especially the dalits, the Congress-led INDIA alliance is continuing to focus on this issue as seen in the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha. The Opposition has extended the “Samvidhan khatre mein hai” narrative to dalit assertion with plans to woo the Scheduled Castes to its fold. It is for this reason, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party gave pride of place in the Lok Sabha to its dalit members — K. Suresh and Awadhesh Prasad. While Mr Suresh was pitched as the combined Opposition’s candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, it plans to field Mr Prasad for the deputy speaker’s position whenever the election is notified. Besides being a dalit, Mr Prasad defeated the BJP in Ayodhya, which is part of the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency. The BJP is clearly rattled by the Opposition’s ongoing focus on the Constitution. It was, therefore, no surprise that the President’s address and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s replies to the debate in Parliament dwelt at length on how the Congress had undermined the Constitution during Emergency.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren’s decision to reclaim the chief minister’s post from party colleague Champai Soren on his release from jail was not totally unexpected though everyone in the state was surprised at the hectic pace these developments unfolded. A section in JMM maintained it was necessary that Hemant Soren take charge again before the forthcoming Assembly polls as he has the stature and profile to expand the party’s base especially since the Lok Sabha election showed that the party was confined to the tribal belt. The JMM emerged victorious in Dumka, Rajmahal and Singhbhum — all reserved seats. But that’s the charitable explanation. The other reason given is that had Champai Soren continued as chief minister, it would be impossible to dislodge him if the JMM does well in the assembly polls as the party’s victory would be credited to him. All eyes are on Champai Soren now. Will he accept this decision quietly or create problems for the JMM?
With several Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant, the Congress Party’s communications department is abuzz with excitement as word has got around that one person from the department is likely to be rewarded with a berth in the Upper House. National spokesperson Pawan Khera and his colleague Supriya Shrinate are said to be in the race. While a disappointed Mr Khera had, in the past remarked there was perhaps something lacking in his “tapasya” that he filed to make the cut, Supriya is said to be a strong contender as social media campaigns she handled during the elections made a big impact and went a long way in lifting the Congress profile. Since it is well known that Mr Khera and Supriya are not exactly best friends, there are others like Karnataka leader L. Hanumanthaiah who is hoping the rivalry between Mr Khera and Supriya will work to his advantage.
Though the Wayanad by-election is yet to be notified, the Congress has already announced that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would be fielded in the Lok Sabha constituency vacated by Rahul Gandhi. This move has put the other political parties in a fix. The Left Front, the Congress Party’s chief political opponent in Kerala, has to decide if it should nominate a strong candidate or opt for a token fight. The CPI put up its senior leader Annie Raja against Rahul Gandhi in the recent Lok Sabha election, ensuring that the Left party and Congress were the chief players in the field with no place for the BJP. It is being suggested that a woman candidate be named to take on Priyanka but this proposal has met with internal resistance as women feel they are not viewed as serious candidates and are fielded in constituencies where the party does not expect to win.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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