Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi, senior Co... Read More

NEW DELHI: The impact of political developments in Maharashtra was apparent on Sunday ahead of the Parliament session with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for unity among NDA partners while also assuring the opposition that the government was ready to discuss all issues.

The interactions came in a meeting of the NDA and a separate all-party meeting where the opposition raised the detention of former J&K chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah and demanded that he be allowed to attend the House. At the all-party meeting, Modi started his address recalling Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray on his death anniversary. “Prime minister recalled Balasaheb as a great person,” said a leader who attended the discussions.

“The government is ready to discuss all issues within the framework of rules and procedures of the Houses,” Modi was quoted as saying. Constructive discussion in Parliament also kept the bureaucracy alert, the PM added.

At the NDA meeting later, the PM suggested that there should be better coordination among allies and respect for the massive mandate the alliance won in the Lok Sabha polls. Modi is learnt to have stressed on the progress the NDA has made as a bloc and co-existing in spite of being different political entities.

NDA constituent Lok Janshakti Party's new chief Chirag Paswan expressed the need for an NDA coordination committee. Paswan Junior’s suggestion assumes greater significance in light of Shiv Sena exiting the NDA on a bitter note and the All Jharkhand Students Union fielding candidates on seats BJP is contesting in the coming Jharkhand elections, as is Paswan's own LJP. Later, Paswan said, “Shiv Sena's absence was felt at the meeting as it was one of the oldest NDA members. There should be better coordination among allies and an NDA convener should be appointed.”

At the BJP parliamentary party meeting, the PM asked lawmakers to ensure good attendance in the House. He further asked the MPs to raise issues in the House and help central government schemes reach citizens. At the government-convened all-party meeting, the opposition demanded that economic slowdown, job loss and farm distress must be discussed during the session, Congress's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

“At the meeting attended by 27 parties, PM Modi said the most important job of the House is to discuss and debate,” parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters. Modi said this session should also be as productive as the last one, according to Joshi.

Opposition leaders raised the issue of Abdullah's detention and demanded that he be allowed to attend the session, but got no definite response from the government. “How can a parliamentarian be detained illegally? He should be allowed to attend Parliament,” leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

Besides Modi, the all-party meeting was attended by BJP chief Amit Shah and senior opposition leaders. Among those present were Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot, deputy leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and Telugu Desam Party’s Jayadev Galla and V Vijaysai Reddy.

