New Delhi: In what sets the stage for a fierce showdown between the BJP and Congress-led opposition parties, Parliament's Monsoon Session is set to begin on Tuesday, bringing with itself a storm of attacks and counterattacks flying thick.
Even though the Modi government is set to be cornered by the opposition parties over two key controversies – Vyapam and Lalit Modi row – the BJP has apparently rolled up its sleeves to tackle the volley of attack to turn the tables on the Congress in a strategy of aggresive counterattck.
The opposition is expected to launch a blistering attack on the BJP, especially on Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
While, Swaraj and Raje are mired in controversies regarding Lalit Modi, Chauhan is under the lens for the Vyapam scam.
Also, HRD Minister Irani is in the spotlight due to a controversy over her educational qualifications.
There are fears of a washout as the Congress remains firm on its demand of the tainted trio's resignation.
Congress has also given a notice of adjournment motion in Rajya Sabha to discuss Lalit Modi row today.
However the BJP appears in no mood to give in to the pressure.
The ruling party has made it clear that there will be no resignations as being demanded by the Congress.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Monday, said, “We are ready to discuss issues that the opposition wants to raise. The question of resignation does not arise, no Union minister has done anything illegal or immoral.”
“Parliament is sovereign, there is no question of accepting any ultimatum,” he added.
PM Narendra Modi, who had called an all-party meeting on Monday, emphasised on the need to use the Parliament time effectively and offered to debate any issue the opposition wanted to argue upon.
“The running of Parliament is a shared responsibility of all. We are ready to debate any issue and hope the Opposition will use Parliament, the most significant of discussion forums, to debate,” he said.
However, the BJP is seeking to counter the opposition strongly by attacking them on their weak lines so as to make skeletons tumble out of Congress' closets.
The BJP is expected to retort back to the Congress by dragging their own tainted leaders to mention. The BJP may counter attack the CMs of the Congress-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh's Virbhadra Singh (who is mired in a disproportionate assets case) and former Goa CM, who is entangled in a bribery case involving a US firm.
However, the Congress seems to be in a relentless avatar as Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, has threatened a washout if the tainted BJP leaders did not resign.
In what appeared to hint at Congress' retaliatory mood, Azad raked up moments from the Congress rule when the BJP had washed out a full session, calling for the resignation of former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan over Adarsh Housing scam.
Some 35 items of business have been scheduled for the monsoon session, which included nine bills pending in Rajya Sabha and four pending in Lok Sabha, besides introduction of 11 new bills.
The amendments to the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, the Railways (Amendment) Bill, the Waterways Bill, the GST Bill, the amendments to the land acquisition bill, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill and Benami Transactions (Prohibition) amendment Bill, 2015 are some of them.
