BJP prepared to hunker down in the face of the Congress onslaught, with senior leaders saying the monsoon session had just begun and the government was prepared to wait it out.
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The Congress had given notices for moving an adjournment motion on the Lalitgate issue in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Addressing his party workers in Jaipur, Rahul vowed not to allow passage of the land bill in Parliament even though the Modi government has thrice issued ordinances to this effect. “So, we need to discuss and decide something for them and solve their problems”, he said.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi.
He had said the disruption tactics – a repeat of what the BJP did when it was in the opposition – may not be effective. Sources said Sonia asked the MPs to be aggressive and present in full strength in the House, and also signalled that the party should not cede any ground this week. He gave three reasons for this, sources said.
Parliament was disrupted for a second day on Wednesday after both the houses were adjourned for the day shortly after they met. Congress MPs were seen sporting black bands on their arms in protest in Lok Sabha, while its leaders in Rajya Sabha were involved in a bitter war of words with the government.
Days after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi made a remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chest size, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaish Naidu came up with a response: how about you being reduced to 44 seats from 440 in Lok Sabha?
Tharoor had argued that the Congress should instead engage in discussion on all issues – be it Vyapam or the Lalit Modi episode – and use facts and figures to drive home its point.
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Sharma said BJP had set the norm of forcing resignations by stalling Parliament during the UPA tenure and could not cry foul now.
