Rahul Gandhi sets agenda, Congress to target VK Singh in both houses

NEW DELHI: With Sonia Gandhi abroad, Congress V-P Rahul Gandhi presided over the party’s strategic committee for parliamentary affairs and also chaired a meeting of Congress MPs of the Lok Sabha.

Gandhi underlined the need for the Congress Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wings to coordinate their floor strategies to make it more effective. As a result, Congress MPs are likely to target MoS for external affairs VK Singh in both the Houses by demanding his sacking over his dog analogy when two Dalit children were burnt to death in Haryana recently. Congress MPs are planning to vocally target Singh whenever he chooses to be present in either of the Houses.

Sources said they took note of SP distancing from the larger Opposition bloc in the ongoing session. The Congress meeting felt with this SP has joined parties such as BJD, TRS and AIADMK who, too, have refused to be part of protests by Opposition parties such as the Congress, its allies in erstwhile UPA and other like-minded parties such as the JD(U), RJD, Trinamool and Left.

The Congress meeting felt this divide in the Opposition ranks could be tapped by the ruling side, therefore, Congress MPs should be extra active in raising issues to set the Opposition agenda in the two Houses everyday and informally coordinate with the like-minded parties. Gandhi, sources said, urged MPs to ensure maximum attendances in both the Houses.

Capt to Quit as Cong Dy Leader in LS: Newly appointed Punjab PCC president Capt Amarinder Singh is likely to step down as deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha.