Opposition Allies Push Rahul Gandhi to Open Budget Debate, He Refuses for Strategic Unity
In a crucial meeting held in New Delhi, opposition leaders gathered to finalize their strategy for the upcoming discussion on the Union Budget scheduled for Tuesday. A unanimous demand emerged from the allies, led by DMK's T R Baalu and supported by others, urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to initiate the debate. This move was seen as a direct response to the BJP's tactics of preventing Gandhi from speaking in Parliament for seven consecutive days.
Rahul Gandhi's Strategic Resistance
Despite the strong push from his allies, Rahul Gandhi firmly resisted the proposal. He argued that if he stood up to speak, it would likely trigger immediate objections from the treasury benches, leading to organized disruptions. Gandhi emphasized that such commotion would deprive every opposition party of their opportunity to raise critical issues during the debate.
He highlighted that regional parties have significant matters to address, and they should not fall prey to what he described as the BJP's "organized disruptions." This stance was aimed at ensuring a fair and productive discussion for all opposition voices.
Allies Applaud Gandhi's "Magnanimous" Gesture
Gandhi's decision to step back won admiration in the room, with one ally-critic of the Leader of the Opposition later describing it as a "magnanimous" gesture. This move helped solidify unity among the diverse opposition groups, fostering a collaborative approach rather than a focus on individual prominence.
The meeting was attended by key figures including Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal, Naseer Hussain, and Manickam Tagore. Other notable attendees were Ramgopal Yadav from the Samajwadi Party, N K Premachandran from the Revolutionary Socialist Party, Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant from the Shiv Sena, John Brittas from the CPM, PC Gupta from the RJD, Shatabdi Roy from the TMC, E T Mohd Basheer from the IUML, and Rajaram Singh from the CPI-ML, among others.
Finalized Plan: Shashi Tharoor to Initiate, Gandhi to Speak Later
As a result of the discussions, the opposition bloc decided to stick with Shashi Tharoor to initiate the Budget discussion. Rahul Gandhi is now scheduled to speak on the Budget on Wednesday, allowing for a more structured and less contentious start to the debate.
Contingency Plan for Potential Disruptions
During the meeting in Kharge's chamber, where India bloc leaders brainstormed the future course of action, allies also devised a contingency plan to end any potential logjam. If Gandhi is still blocked from speaking on Wednesday, they have agreed to submit a planned no-confidence notice against Speaker Om Birla. This step would be taken to address the stalled parliamentary business and ensure proceedings can move forward.
However, if Gandhi is allowed to speak as planned, the no-confidence notice will not be filed. With this strategy in place, the Lok Sabha is now expected to hold normal proceedings, aiming for a smoother and more productive Budget discussion without unnecessary disruptions.
