Also, the discussion on the India-United States nuclear deal is likely on November 27 or 29 subject to the availability of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Parliament on Thursday passed a bill that seeks to expand the definition of "terrorist act" to include offences that threaten the country's economic security amid a walkout by Left parties, Janata Dal-United and Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Defying prohibitory orders, protests were held in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and several other cities. Protesters, mostly students and activists, were detained on a large scale in national capital and other places.
Accusing the government of being under the influence of corporate houses, Left parties demanded a thorough probe into the CAG findings on the coal block allocation issue and an immediate debate on it in Parliament.
At least 10 CPI(M) workers were injured in a clash that broke out after activists of a right wing Hindu outfit attacked the Left party's headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday. The protest turned violent as scores of RSS activists clashed with CPM workers and started pelting stones at the party office where a CPI(M) Central Committee was meeting, police sources said.
The beginning of the month-long session will coincide with the vice presidential election, in which the victory of United Progressive Alliance-Left nominee Hamid Ansari appears to be certain.
Consultations on the next Presidential candidate gained momentum today with the Left parties indicating their support to a Congress candidate while Bharatiya Janata Party began lobbying for its nominee and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
The reaction came a day after Gandhi obliquely attacked the Left, saying that "elements" opposing the nuclear agreement were not only "enemies" of the Congress, but also of the nation's progress and development.
Consensus eluded an all-party meeting called on FDI issue on Monday even as Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party provided comfort to the government by not insisting on voting and Trinamool Congress springing a surprise by speaking in a similar tone.
Fissures in the opposition over Foreign Direct Investment in retail came to government's aid Thursday as the opening day of Parliament's winter session was washed out and Trinamool Congress' move for a no-confidence motion flopped.
The return of the Communist Party of India - Marxist-led Left Front in Tripura and the victory of the Forward Bloc in Nalhati in West Bengal reflects the "re-emergence" of the Left parties, said senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury.
Faced with a deadlock over the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill due to stiff opposition from the Left parties, the government is contemplating to bring a separate Bill on pension funds for private sector employees.
As India's negotiation with International Atomic Energy Agency is in its concluding stage, the Communist Party of India on Wednesday said the Left parties are determined not to allow the government to go ahead with the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.
The Left has already made it clear that its top leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, A B Bardhan, D Raja, Abani Roy and Debabrata Biswas will be their nominees in the committee, which is expected to be a political one.
The Left party leaders are scheduled to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Dr Singh in a bid to evolve a consensus on the issue.
The insurance Bill seeks to increase the cap on shareholding of foreign investors
Upping the ante, two Members of Legislative Assembly of principal opposition in the assembly Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, whose meeting with Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has left party founder and actor Vijaykanth red faced, on Tuesday dared him to sack them from the organisation. "We went and met the chief minister to discuss the problems of the people. If they (DMDK leaders) feel it is a mistake, let them dismiss us," Radhapuram MLA C Michael Rayappan said.
So long as no females were allowed to pray there, the strength of emotion kept the issue burning. As more and more women do this, the matter will fade.
The Congress on Sunday night sought to downplay the remarks of its president Sonia Gandhi at a public meeting in Haryana that the opponents of India-United States nuclear deal were enemies of development. The party said the comments were not directed at the Left parties.
A visibly upset Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. It was not immediately clear whether the paper torn was picked from the table of the Secretary General.
The opposition has been protesting over various issues, including the Punjab National Bank scam, since Monday when Parliament had reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session.
Senior Congress leaders say Sharad Pawar's 'clean chit' to Modi in the Rafale deal is the most recent example of regional parties succumbing to pressure. The Congress is also convinced that Mayawati is being arm-twisted.
Government's direct cash transfer scheme is "anti-poor" as it would actually cut subsidies due to the high inflation rate and not cover the rising prices of foodgrains, the Communist Party of India-Marxist on Wednesday said opposing the move.
Dravida Munetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Friday slammed Left parties for reportedly trying to project Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa as a candidate for the prime minister's post, saying that the move "is nothing but opportunistic slavery".
The NDA made it clear that this does not mean that Shekhawat had opted out of the race in favour of Kalam.
Left leaders said the statement makes it very clear that the government will not operationalise the deal till the committee's findings are known
Former Union Minister Deepa Dasmunsi was on Friday made the Congress candidate from Bhabanipur seat in West Bengal to take on Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in the assembly elections.
A bandh called by the National Democratic Alliance, Left parties and the Samajwadi Party to protest against diesel price hike, Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail and cap on subsidised LPG on Thursday evoked mixed response as protestors disrupted road and rail traffic in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha but it had little impact in Mumbai.
Yechury could play the role Harkishan Singh Surjeet had played in 1996 and 2004 to unify the opposition, writes Archis Mohan.
This alliance is for personal survival, not ideology-based support. This alliance is for power, not for the people. This alliance is for personal ambitions, not people's aspirations," the PM charged.
Tough opposition from Left parties notwithstanding, the government has opened a window of opportunity for foreign companies for managing pension funds of central and state government employees.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday said her government was making all efforts to uphold the rights of the state on the Cauvery water-sharing issue and hoped it would get justice from the Supreme Court.
"The government seems to have lost its will to carry out the CMP and more and more it is functioning only to benefit a section of our people," Bardhan lamented.
10 central trade unions have called a nationwide shutdown against 'anti-worker policies' of the central government. Apart from being successful in Bengal, Kerala and NE states, the bandh has also got support from Cong leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist raised quite a few eyebrows breaking ranks with the Left parties and pledging its support to United Progressive Alliance's Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee.
Left parties and the Telugu Desam Party on Monday demanded cancellation of allocation of all the 142 coal blocks and a thorough enquiry into the matter and attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his remarks against the CAG.
The Assam government announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh and a job for the next of the kin of the deceased.
According to sources in Congress, "The Communist Party of India-Marxist will have their nominee as Vice President in August when the elections are due."
A spirited opposition on Wednesday forced adjournment of Parliament till 2 pm the issue of coal block allocation with members making a vociferous demand for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Despite the Congress having nearly four times as many members in the Rajya Sabha as the TMC (48 to 13), Derek O'Brien has been informally leading the coordination of Opposition parties, rallying other parties to demand a discussion on electoral reforms and to protest the government's disinvestment plans, report Rahul Jacob and Archis Mohan.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances