Special session pitch unites INDIA bloc
This week, the Modi government announced the monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled from July 21 to August 12, rejecting the demand by more than 17 Opposition parties for a special Parliament session to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The INDIA bloc parties had written to the Prime Minister for the special session. Initially, the perception was only Congress MPs had sent the letter.
However, the party decided to rope in INDIA bloc partners at the insistence of the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The TMC, which always toes a different line from that of its constituents in the INDIA bloc, came on board after Gandhi personally reached out to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. Gandhi also made an extra effort to reach out to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, DMK's TR Balu, and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Aditya Thackeray.
Sources said the party went into overdrive, with general secretary KC Venugopal and deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi following up with the main opposition parties. Tamil Nadu MP Manickam Tagore coordinated with the DMK and others in the state, Kerala MP Suresh Kodikunnil contacted the Left and other parties.
Bihar MP Mohammad Jawed held talks with the AAP, but to no effect. NCP(SP) leader Supriya Sule maintains she could not sign the letter as she was on the multi-party delegation outreach; sources in the Congress debunk her claims. "Sharad Pawar could have signed it," says a leader who was part of the talks.
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