The confrontation between the government and the Opposition civil society, led by Mr Anna Hazare, has already set the tone of the Monsoon Session of Parliament which MPs fear will be “stormy” literally. The session is expected to start in the third week of July.
The Congress is virtually fighting the battle against them on the issue of a Lokpal bill and corruption single handedly. Its 15-page booklet on “The Congress view on present situation-1”, being distributed across the country, contains talking points to counter the Opposition and the civil society’s attack.
The party has asked its officials to confine themselves to the booklet directing them not to make any “addition or omission” while rebutting the Opposition’s charge in public meetings and press conferences.
Though the Opposition has yet to formulate its floor strategy, the mood is to corner the government on the floor instead of stalling Parliament.
The Samajwadi Party (22 Lok Sabha members), the BSP (21) cannot afford to back the government on the floor because of the impending Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. They are the main rivals of the Congress in UP.
On the other hand, the AIADMK (nine) cannot support the government so long as the DMK (18) remains a part of the government and the UPA.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (five), led by Ajit Singh, is moving closer to the Congress and may ally with the latter in the UP polls. The JD(S) (three), 11 one-member party barring the AGP and t he YSR Congress of the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy could not back the government.