Members of INDIA, an alliance of 28 parties which has come together to take on the BJP-led NDA government, were bewildered after the Centre announced that it will convene a five-day special session of Parliament from September 18-22. The announcement came as the third meeting of the INDIA bloc was underway in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Centre constituted a committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, to explore the possibility of ‘One Nation, One Election’.
As soon as the special session was announced by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi on Thursday, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi was the first one to react saying that the timing of it was “unfortunate”.
“This special session called during India’s most important festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is unfortunate and goes against the Hindu sentiments. Surprised at their choice of dates!” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Thursday.
Later, speaking to news agency ANI during the INDIA meeting in Mumbai, she said that if the special session addresses pressing issues of the nation, then it is “welcome”, and if it is used to divert attention from the issues, it will show that the “BJP is nervous”.
Congress’ general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh called the Special Session announcement as ‘managing the news cycle, Modi style’.
“1. News today has been dominated by latest revelations on the Modani-scam. 2. Tomorrow the ever-growing INDIA parties meet in Mumbai,” he said on X.
“How to counter? Announce a 5-day special session of Parliament when Monsoon session has just ended 3 weeks back. Regardless, the JPC demand will continue to resonate inside and outside Parliament,” Ramesh added.
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Friday said that the appointment of the former President is “wrong”, adding that the Centre should have talked to the Opposition parties before convening a special session.
“If they (government) wanted to call a special session, they should have talked to the opposition parties. Now no one knows about it (agenda of the session) but a session has been called,” he said.
“Traditionally, former President should not be appointed to any post, if they (govt) have done it then it is wrong. First discussion should be done on ‘One Nation One Election’ and then a decision should be taken,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the special session of Parliament was called in “haste to create a new narrative”.
“This is only the nervousness of the Central government and the BJP. This news is given in newspapers and TV in haste to create a new narrative. Yesterday, Hindenburg 2.0 news on Adani industries came out, this (special session of Parliament) is to downplay that,” Bharadwaj said.
CPI general secretary D Raja hit out at the BJP government saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is desperate and they are not confident of facing the elections.
Meanwhile, on the ‘one nation, one election’ matter, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that there should be a “fair election”.
“One nation, one election is fine, but there should be a fair election. They (Centre) have brought this to postpone our demand for a fair election,” he said.
Meanwhile, following the announcement by Joshi on Thursday when the third meeting of the INDIA bloc was underway, a sense of urgency was witnessed among the Opposition parties, as many felt that the Centre was “up for something”. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had said earlier this week that the BJP could advance the Lok Sabha elections, said that the Opposition parties should speed up their efforts.
Meanwhile, reportedly, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also a part of the INDIA alliance, said that the Opposition parties should fast-track seat-sharing talks and try to announce the joint candidate arrangement by September 30.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the parties should identify the key points which should become part of the joint manifesto and announce it on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.