Adani standoff forces Houses to adjourn on Day 1 of session

Birla may extend tenure of Waqf JPC: Oppn after meeting Speaker

- Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The Congress-led Opposition forced adjournments in both Houses of Parliament on the opening day of the winter session on Monday over bribery allegations against the Adani Group, but a standoff on this issue might not last long as other INDIA bloc constituents are keen to focus on more pressing issues.

A senior Congress leader said the party is unlikely to push for a washout of the entire session on the Adani issue or over the Opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee as "other issues are also important".

The Trinamool Congress's national working committee met on Monday and outlined six key issues for the party in the winter session that didn't include the Adani controversy. "The issues are price rise, inflation, unemployment, deprivation of PM Awas and other funds for West Bengal, fertilisers, Northeast and Manipur violence," Chandrima Bhattacharya, Bengal minister and TMC spokesperson, said after the meeting.