With the winter session of Parliament scheduled to start next week, Opposition parties on Thursday promised to push for discussion on a host of issues, including price rise, amid indications that the Communist Party of India plans to move an adjournment motion on the opening day.
At the conclusion of an all-party meeting here, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said leaders of various parties said the session should run smoothly and promised to cooperate in making it happen.
She said the Opposition listed several issues that should be taken up for discussion in the House during the session, in which the government plans to bring in 31 Bills for passage. Opposition Members felt that the duration of the session was short.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the Bharatiya Janata Party would seek discussions on making public the list of account holders from India who have stashed away black money overseas, food inflation, Telangana and recent developments in India-Pakistan relations after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's SAARC visit.
With the government too stating its willingness to discuss issues that members want to raise, Ms. Swaraj felt the problem was in how discussions should be held.
On his part, CPI Parliamentary Party leader Gurudas Dasgupta said his party would bring an adjournment motion on the failure of the government to implement the resolution passed during the monsoon session asking it to take steps to curb price rise.
Mr. Dasgupta told The Hindu that while political parties wanted the House to function, it was the attitude of the government that would determine it since it created a situation by not accepting the demands of the Opposition.
Lokpal Bill
Most parties favoured passage of the Lokpal Bill in this session but emphasised that it should be done only after following the due Parliamentary process.
Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav told journalists that he suggested that the session be extended, and that was endorsed by Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad.
The JD(U) will also give notice for a discussion on price rise.
The NDA will finalise its strategy on floor coordination and adjournment motions at its November 21 meeting after which the BJP will also reach out to other parties to arrive at an understanding on taking on the government.
Among the issues the Opposition plans to raise are Centre-State relations, corruption in MNREGS, paid news, the government's move to allow 26 per cent FDI in pension, the report of the Centre's interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir, non-procurement of paddy and crime against women.
