Opposition adopts unique strategy to combat government in Parliament

NEW DELHI: The Opposition engaged the government with different scripts in the two Houses of Parliament besides shifting tgoal posts every time the government tried to find a solution to the blockade.

In the Lok Sabha, the Opposition showed ‘eagerness for flexibility’ on starting the debate on currency replacement, while in the Rajya Sabha it pushed up demands to queer the pitch. The Opposition camp is coordinating their floor moves by allotting different parties to play different strokes.

In the Speaker’s chamber, Opposition looked agreeable for resolution under Rule 184 that entails voting and wondered why the government be wary given NDA’s comfortable majority in the House.

The government remained noncommittal as it does not want a motion that would directly question the currency replacement and implementation issues.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Congress and others reiterated demand for PMs presence and reply, something Modi appeared to be willing, but Trinamool MPs pushed in the back-up strategy of demanding PM’s apology first for terming the Opposition as ‘supporters of black money.’

“Both sides are actually buying time, keeping an eye how politics over demonetisation plays out on the ground,” said a regional party leader. In the evening a delegation of Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav and leaders of Trinamool, Left and NCP met the President, even as AIADMK kept away from the Rashtrapati Bhawan trip.