New Delhi: The Opposition was all set to take on the government on the price rise in the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting Monday, but the Amit Shah controversy could leave the BJP isolated in the House.
On Saturday, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, in a timely move by the party, announced Shah's resignation which has now been forwarded to the Governor. Shah, finally surfaced on Sunday and was arrested by the CBI and sent to 13-day judicial custody.
The CBI had been waiting to question him in connection with the Sohrabuddin encounter case and in Delhi, the BJP top brass is meeting on Sunday ahead of the Monsoon Session at senior BJP leader L K Advani's house.
The government has also enlisted the politically-sensitive Women's Reservation Bill and the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill during the monsoon session.
The nuclear bill is currently before a Parliamentary Standing Committee. The women's bill, on which Opposition parties are divided, is listed for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha.
The Constitution (108 Amendment) Bill, seeking to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha amid stiff opposition from parties like Samajwadi Party, RJD and JD(U).
The Yadav trio - Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav - have been staunchly opposed to the bill in its current form and want a quota within quota for women belonging to OBCs and minorities.
Seeking to allay Opposition apprehension, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said the government would carry out consultations with all parties before bringing the bill.
The Women's bill had been passed in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session.
The Left parties will also demand rollback of fuel price hike in the coming Session and intensify its movement against hike in prices of essential commodities.
CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat told the state committee meeting of the party on Saturday that the Left would demand withdrawal of the UPA government's decision to decontrol petroleum prices.
However, the ambitious bill to provide food security to all is unlikely to be passed in this Session, as also the Communal Violence Bill, which seeks to ensure accountability of public authorities for prevention and control of communal violence.
Both these measures are being discussed at the National Advisory Council, headed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Incidentally when price rise is a major issue, a bill seeking to increase the salary and allowances of Members of Parliament is on the top priority of the government.
Bansal declined to specify as to how much the salaries of MPs were being raised from the current Rs 16,000, saying that the matter was still to go to the Union Cabinet.
There are nine proposed legislations including the salary bill for MPs, for introduction, consideration and passage, while 24 others including the women's quota bill are listed for consideration.
The session, having 24 sittings spread over 33 days, would also discuss a statutory resolution seeking approval of President's rule in Jharkhand. PTI
