Floor strategy key to Parliament's Winter session

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The Winter Session of Parliament beginning next week could see changes in the floor strategy of the UPA constituents and the supporting parties.

While the UPA constituents — the DMK, Trinamul Congress, NCP and the National Conference — are feeling uncomfortable in their respective states, the Mayawati-led BSP, backing the Centre from outside unconditionally, is under attack from the Congress, BJP and the Samajwadi Party simultaneously. This will make the floor management very crucial in the session commencing on November 22.

Relations between the Trinamul Congress and the Congress are getting strained in West Bengal after chief minister Mamata Banerjee was reported to have served a fresh ultimatum to the Congress saying, “Decide whether you want to stay with us or not.”

“The Congress leaders are abusing us every day. What do they think? In Delhi they don’t have majority to run the Central government but we have the majority in Bengal for running the state government. We don’t need to depend on them to run the government,” said Ms Banerjee.

The Youth Congress on Friday took out a protest rally against alleged violence by Trinamul Congress activists on the Congress workers across the state.

The DMK has become irrelevant at the national level after the spectrum allocation scam and its defeat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. The cornered Dravadian party is refusing to name leaders for the two Cabinet rank ministries which have become vacant for the party after the resignations of A. Raja and Dayanidhi Maran.

In Maharashtra, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan himself has not been comfortable with ally NCP and has been sending out messages that he has not been able to deliver because of the coalition. He also wanted that key ministries like home, finance and power should be with the Congress.

The Congress-NCP want “friendly fights” in the local body elections, indicating that the Shiv Sena, BJP, RPI(Athawale) and the MNS are not potential threats to them.

In J&K, the Congress is compelled to back the National Conference. Interestingly, the Mayawati-led BSP continues to support the Centre despite being charged with corruption.