NDA has a lot of ammo up its sleeve

As the second half of the budget session of parliament resumes on Tuesday, the BJP and the NDA have made their strategy clear.

They want discussion on the surge in Maoist activity, which was to be seen in the kidnappings in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The other major issue on which the opposition wants discussion is the country’s state of preparedness. Talking to reporters at the end of the NDA floor leaders’ meeting, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the opposition wanted the prime minister to make a clarificatory statement in parliament.

The NDA floor leaders’ meeting was held at NDA chairman LK Advani’s residence on Monday evening. Jaitley said the opposition would also want a discussion on the economic situation in the context of the comments made by officials and ministers. Jaitley said policy paralysis of the UPA will be discussed as well because governance is the casualty.

Jaitley had also pointed out that export restrictions on cotton were causing extreme distress among farmers and that the opposition would demand a discussion on it.

Asked whether the BJP would stick to its assurance that it will cooperate with the government in passing bills with regard to pensions and insurance, Jaitley said the government should be open to suggestions made by the opposition if it wanted parliament to pass those bills.