Budget session to be stormy, Opposition to give tough time to Modi Govt on Ordinances

New Delhi, Feb 21: The budget session of Parliament beginning on Monday is expected to be a stormy affair with the Narendra Modi dispensation facing the tough task to ensure passage of six bills replacing Ordinances in the face of stiff opposition in the Upper House.

Emboldened after the ruling BJP's Delhi debacle, several opposition parties have virtually declared a war on "Ordinance Raj" and especially against the changes brought in land law through the emergency provision.

A highlight of the three-month long session will be the presentation of the first full-fledged budget of the government. Opposition parties have enough ammunition to target the government with a host of issues ranging from controversial statements of some BJP leaders and members from Sangh Parivar to inflation.

While the government has held back channel discussions with many Opposition leaders, there is no sign of any let up from the Opposition side.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has called a meeting of leaders of parties in both Houses of Parliament on Sunday noon for "mutual consultations ahead of budget session of Parliament".

Amid the possibility of a stormy session, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also called a dinner meeting of leaders of political parties the same day to ensure smooth run of the House.

The first part of the session will continue till March 20 and the second part will commence after a month-long recess from April 20.

The session will conclude on May 8. Government will have to pass the six bills on Ordinances in first half of the budget session itself. The NDA government is especially under pressure to legislate the ordinances on insurance and the coal sectors so that the new systems in place for attracting FDI in insurance and for auctioning of coal blocks are not disturbed.

The 44-item agenda of the Government proposed for the Budget session comprises of financial, legislative and non-legislative business.

The 11 items of financial business include presentation of and discussion on General and Railway Budgets for 2015-16, discussion and voting on Demands for Grants, both General and Railway Budgets, supplementary demands for Grants for 2014-15 and excess demands, if any for 2013-14.

While the first part of the Session is likely to have 26 sittings, the second part would have 19 sittings.

PTI