Post Bihar poll, JD(U) pitches for unity among non-BJP parties ahead of winter session

NEW DELHI: Buoyed by its victory in Bihar assembly polls, JD(U) has called for opposition parties to forge a “common minimum agenda” to put Narendra Modi-led BJP government on the mat during the forthcoming winter session of Parliament. “Bihar has presented an example for opposition in Parliament.

All parties should forge common minimum agenda of issues for forthcoming session of Parliament,” JD(U) Bihar unit chief and Rajya Sabha MP Bashistha Narain Singh said in New Delhi on Monday appealing opposition parties to evolve a common minimum agenda.

Singh, considered a trusted lieutenant of chief minister Nitish Kumar, suggested that JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav may take up this task to forge a common minimum agenda. JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav had in an exclusive interview to ET last week had said, “Now we will work to achieve maximum possible unity of like-minded secular parties against the BJP and NDA governments”.

“Opposition should unite for Parliament. We (JD-U) will definitely try to forge a morcha for Parliament. Our national president will speak to others,” Singh hinted, underlining that JD(U) was not averse to roping in SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in the morcha as well despite his disassociation with the JD(U) in the run up to assembly elections in Bihar.

“There should be a common agenda where Opposition parties should have united stand,” Singh said. However, he did not spell out the list of issues for the united Opposition and said it was for the leaders of Opposition parties to firm up after mutual consultation. In this context, the JD(U) leader also refrained from reiterating JD(U)’s previous support to the GST bill and evaded direct replies on the issue suggesting let opposition parties frame the common agenda against the government.

“Let there be a discussion (among leaders of Opposition),” was Singh’s cryptic response to a query whether JD(U) will continue its position to support the GST. JD(U) leader’s silence holds significance for the government as opposition Congress has put a spanner in the passage of GST bill by demanding a clutch of amendments to which the government has appeared reluctant to engage the Opposition. This reluctance on part of JD(U), which has 12 members in Rajya Sabha, to reiterate its support to the GST bill will minimise government’s elbowroom to push ahead this taxation reform. The JD(U) leader, however, suggested that the government need to engage with the Opposition and favoured no disruption.