As Parliament begins debating the AgustaWestland scandal on May 4, all eyes will be on senior BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on April 22. Swamy's entry into Parliament has served two purposes - a) it has added ammunition to the BJP's arsenal and b) has put the Congress on the backfoot.

Swamy has attracted more eye balls and achieved more in his first week in Parliament than many of his party colleagues. Though Union finance minister is the leader of the Upper House, it is Swamy who is generating all the interest among the BJP supporters. He has managed to galvanise his party in the Upper House, where it is in a minority. The party is seen to be rallying behind him. The BJP has managed to return fire for fire ever since Swamy has joined the Rajya Sabha.

The aggressive style of politics practised by Swamy will help the BJP in the coming months, particularly if he succeeds in solving the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid imbroglio, as he claims. The BJP will also get a boost from his oritorical skills in other controversial matters such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy.

In the days to come, the Upper House will also witness Swamy versus Congress fierce duels quite often, particularly when it discusses issues which involve the Nehru-Gandhi family - party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi. Swamy is a known Sonia-baiter. He has already dragged Sonia and her son Rahul Gandhi to court over the National Herald case.

After the National Herald controversy, the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam threatens to directly affect Sonia and other senior party leaders. On April 27, the Rajya Sabha witnessed pandemonium when Swamy rose to speak on the issue. The House had to be adjourned twice – first when the Congress vehemently protested Swamy uttering Sonia’s name and next time when the main opposition party members continued with their protests.

The BJP will try its best to corner the Congress and particularly its president and derive maximum political mileage out of it. With Swamy becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha, that effort has already begun in right earnest.

He will not allow the first family of the Congress to heave a sigh of relief, now that he has got an opportunity to put them in the dock again, particularly in the AgustaWestland scam.

Tough days for the Congress ahead, thanks to Swamy.