Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to chalk out the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) strategy for the upcoming Winter Session in his address to the BJP national executive, Business Standard reported.
The timing of the meeting, which is expected to be attended by over 2,200 BJP functionaries, is significant as it coincides with Deen Dayal Upadhyay's 100th birth anniversary. An important feature of Monday's meeting will be that Modi's speech will be broadcast live: a rarity as most national executive meetings are closed to cameras.
According to the Business Standard report, the meeting will focus on the status of the Indian economy and the Assembly elections in the crucial states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
While the election in Gujarat is important for the BJP as it is the home state of the prime minister, the economy is once again at the centre stage as latest data has shown a slump in growth.
Sources told The Indian Express that at its meeting the party will seek to assure the people through the meeting that the economy will be healthy.
According to the report, Modi is expected to talk about the benefits of the two biggest decisions taken by his government: GST and demonetisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at an event on Thursday. PTI
Another crucial point that might come up for discussion is the bill to reserve a third of Lok Sabha and state legislatures’ seats for women. Though the move is likely to have the Congress' backing, BJP may have have to convince allies like the Lok Janshkati Party for passage of the bill, Business Standard reported.
While only time will tell whether this year's Winter Session will be fruitful for the ruling NDA, it is to be noted that last year' Parliament session was completely overshadowed by Modi government's move to invalidate Rs 500 and 1,000 notes.
According to PRS Legislative research, the 2016 Winter Session was the least productive legislative session since 2001.
"The loss of productivity (the hours spent without interruptions during the scheduled working hours) to the Lok Sabha, Parliament’s lower house, was 83 percent, while it was 80 percent in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house, according to government data," Indiaspend reported.
In the 2016 Winter Session, 92 hours of disruption in the Lok Sabha cost the Indian taxpayer Rs 144 crore, IndiaSpend reported in December 2016.
As per this Firstpost report, the Lok Sabha, as well as the Rajya Sabha, failed to conduct any substantive business given the Opposition continuously created pandemonium, leading to early adjournments. However, this was on expected lines as the Opposition presented a united face in countering the government over many policies, including the demonetisation issue.
Due to the logjam, several key bills got stuck either in both the Houses of Parliament.
Published Date: Sep 22, 2017 03:10 pm | Updated Date: Sep 22, 2017 03:10 pm
