Current Political Developments: Final Week of Monsoon Session Sees Parliament Deadlock Continue

As the concluding week of the Monsoon Session commences, all eyes are fixed on the Parliament, where opposing factions on the Treasury and Opposition Benches are poised for yet another clash.

In the Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will table the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for deliberation and approval. The government's numerical advantage positions it favorably to secure the Bill's passage, bolstered by the support of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Present circumstances are as follows: The BJP commands 92 MPs, including five nominated members. Coupled with their National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, they total 103 MPs. The AIADMK contributes four MPs, and parties such as RPI (Athawale), Asom Gana Parishad, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), National People’s Party, Mizo National Front, and United People’s Party (Liberal) each have a single representative. With the addition of nine MPs from both BJD and YSRCP, the NDA comfortably surpasses the current halfway mark of 119, reaching 121. This count could further rise, as parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party, Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), and Sikkim Democratic Front, each with one member, may align with the government.

On the other hand, the Congress (31 MPs) and its coalition partners within the 26-party INDIA bloc command a collective strength of at least 98 members. This includes 13 MPs from Trinamool Congress, as well as 10 MPs each from DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party. Additional contributors include the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with six members, and both CPI(M) and Janata Dal (United) with five each. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) holds four seats. Notably, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Telangana's ruling party and not part of the INDIA coalition, stands against the Bill, with seven MPs.

Though the odds may appear stacked, the Congress is determined to put up a fight. The party issued a whip to its MPs on August 4, instructing their presence in the Upper House until adjournment on Monday. A reminder was sent to its MPs on Sunday, urging their participation from 10:45 am onwards, in line with the party's stance.

Given the purported divisions among Opposition parties over the strategy of disrupting House proceedings to prompt Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Rajya Sabha, the voting outcome will be closely watched.

The Rajya Sabha's agenda also includes deliberation and approval of The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which has already secured Lok Sabha's endorsement.

In the Lok Sabha, the Congress and its allies are expected to raise the issue of reinstating Rahul Gandhi's membership. The Opposition party criticized the BJP for the delay in restoring Gandhi's Lok Sabha status, stating that he may approach the Supreme Court on Tuesday if his membership isn't reinstated today. The Congress seeks Gandhi's participation in the Lok Sabha's no-confidence motion debate set to begin the following day.

Within the Lower House, four Bills are slated for consideration and approval: The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023; The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill, 2023; The Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and The Mediation Bill, 2023.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark National Handloom Day with an event at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan.

In Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will engage in two rounds of discussions with ministers in charge and MLAs from districts including Tumakuru, Yadgir, Chitradurga, Bagalkot, Ballari, and Dharwad. These meetings aim to address local development concerns raised by Congress MLAs who feel that the government isn't adequately addressing their constituencies' issues.

Both Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar will participate in these discussions, which are expected to extend until Wednesday.

During a recent meeting in Delhi, the Congress high command warned state ministers against corruption, setting the tone for zero tolerance. Some leaders expressed frustration over limited accessibility to certain ministers during the meeting.

The Monsoon Session of Kerala Assembly will begin with an obituary reference to Congress leader Oommen Chandy. The session will encompass various bills, including one replacing an Ordinance issued by the Left Front government regarding the safety and security of healthcare sector workers. Recent controversies involving Speaker A N Shamseer's statements, police action over microphone malfunctions during Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's speeches, and the government's stance on the media are anticipated to fuel confrontations between the Treasury and Opposition Benches.