All-party meet sets stage for stormy budget session

Centre to table 16 bills

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran and Saubhadra Chatterji

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties indicated on Thursday that they will press the treasury benches over the Maha Kumbh stampede that led to the deaths of at least 30 people among a host of other issues, setting what could be the tone for the Budget session that begins on Friday.

At the customary all-party meeting chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, opposition leaders also indicated they will raise the issue of the controversial UGC draft regulations while leaders of the ruling NDA ally Janata Dal (United) suggested that the JPC on One Nation, One Election should have extensive debate.

Both the JD(U) and the Lok Jan-shakti Party (Ram Vilas) demanded that smaller NDA partners must get more time to speak in Parliament, according to people aware of the discussions at the meeting.

"We held a successful meeting with all party floor leaders today (Thursday) ahead of the Budget Session. I want to thank all the floor leaders. 52 leaders of total 36 political parties attended the meeting," Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said.