Hours after the United Progressive Alliance government increased petrol and diesel prices today, the Left parties announced nationwide demonstrations against the hike, which are likely to be held on June 28.
Making his debut in West Bengal in the current campaign, Bharatiya Janata Party's PM candidate Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the Left parties and the Third Front, saying they will make India a "third rate" country.
D Raja (CPI) said Parliament cannot remain a mute spectator to the university rusticating students in a 'vindictive manner' on the basis of 'doctored and false' videos.
Left parties on Monday opposed any increase in petrol and diesel prices in step with the hike in global oil prices and higher taxes, and asked the government to restructure duties to protect the consumers.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday forced adjournment of Rajya Sabha till noon when it created uproar over alleged shift in government stand on anti-graft activist Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill.
Demanding a strong Lokpal bill against corruption, nine non-National Democratic Alliance opposition parties including the Left, Telugu Desam Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal on Tuesday staged a protest at the main gate of Parliament.
The Left parties on Monday announced a nationwide agitational programme to highlight issues relating to corruption and demand an effective Lokpal bill, with the Communist Party of India saying the Prime Minister and his office should be within the purview of the anti-corruption ombudsman.
Amit Shah said simultaneous polls would curb expenditure.
Left parties were on Tuesday joined by the Biju Janata Dal, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Party and the Telugu Desam Party in the Parliament in their protest against the government's 'inaction' in checking rising prices of foodgrain and other essential items.
'Wait for 2019, there will be no space for the BJP in UP.'
The all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday is unlikely to come out with a common view on the Lokpal legislation with the National Democratic Alliance and the Left parties playing hardball and the government yet to finalise its draft bill.
The Congress seems to be ruing what it does not have in UPA II: The support of the left parties, not particularly because they let the government govern till they withdrew support over the issue of signing a nuclear treaty with the US, but because they didn't demand their pound of flesh in the allocation of ministries by not joining the government.
Shah said a BJP government would protect and promote the cultural heritage and values of tribals.
The Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill, 2011, was passed by voice vote along with some amendments brought by the government.
'The Godse controversy may have helped Kamal Haasan reach out to a larger audience, both inside the state and outside, coming as it does when the main campaign for elections 19 is over and only those in the four assembly bypoll constituencies are drudging along,' says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Left parties on Wednesday asked the government to reduce prices of LPG and diesel and restore 9.5 per cent interest rate on Employees Provident Fund.
Gogoi says BJP will suffer the same fate as Bihar in Assam if secular forces unite.
The Left parties would strongly raise the issue of hike in petroleum prices at the meeting of the coordination committee with the UPA government, which was postponed on Thursday due to the death of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
Seeking to mollify allies miffed over its 'unilateral' announcement of candidates for 160 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK on Saturday concluded seat sharing arrangements with the Left parties and other allies for the April 13 assembly polls. The AIADMK is continuing its talks with the DMDK even as the process of filing of nominations for 234 seats begins on Saturday. The hectic political activity in the AIADMK camp continued till the wee hours of Saturday.
The leaders of the Left parties, G Ramakrishnan (Communist Party of India-Marxist) D Pandian (CPI), and Kathiravan of All India Forward Bloc along with Puthiya Tamizhagam leader Dr K Krishnasamy and All India Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam leader Dr N Sethuraman, were holding talks among themselves and planned to meet Vijayakant jointly to evolve a common strategy
The bill was passed with 165 voting in favour and 7 against it.
With tempers rising on intolerance, it will be hard to run House proceedings.
The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested Sanjeev Saxena, considered close to former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, in connection with the 2008 cash-for-vote scam in Parliament.
After suffering successive defeats in elections since 2004, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalithaa has made a spectacular comeback in Tamil Nadu by shedding her rigid attitude and cobbling up a formidable alliance with once-not-so friendly actor Vijayakant and the Left parties.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday asked Left parties to reconsider their opposition to the pension bill so that government can provide a "legal basis" to the new pension system started last year.
The Left parties on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for "virtually justifying" that a Joint Parliamentary Committee inquiry into the 2G spectrum scam was not required but was accepted by the government only to pacify the opposition.
The Congress on Thursday accused Left parties, especially the Communist Party of India-Marxist, of inaction in taking follow-up steps after Purulia arms drop case accused Kim Davy claimed the incident was the result of attempts by political forces at the Centre to destabilise the then Marxist government in West Bengal.
Opposition parties on Monday expressed disappointment over the President Pratibha Patil's address to the Parliament, saying it contained old promises on which it had already failed to deliver and lacked clarity on solutions to problems like corruption. The Bharatiya Janata Party, Left parties and Telugu Desam Party said the address was not up to their expectations.
The government on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that it was unlikely to restore investment of interest on special deposit scheme back into the scheme even as a senior CPI (M) member warned that Left parties cannot be taken for granted on the matter.
Rare unanimity was witnessed as the members passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014.
Renowned economist Arjun Sengupta and Congress Economic Affairs Secretary Jairam Ramesh are among the front-runners for the post of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, which fell vacant following the resignation of K C Pant.
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury's stand that CPI-M and CPI should merge evoked a mixed response in the two Left parties even as he stressed that the merger would have a 'positive' impact on national politics
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