Today in Politics: Ahead of Monsoon Session in Parliament, Sonia Gandhi to lead Cong strategy meeting
The next Parliament session is expected to be stormy, with the Opposition expected to raise issues ranging from the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor to the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
The meeting is expected to be attended by senior party leaders in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Congress has already said it wants the Bihar SIR to be scrapped, alleging that it is 'unconstitutional' and is aimed at disenfranchising voters. The party is also likely to seek answers from the government on what it claims were 'lapses and losses' during Operation Sindoor and the circumstances that led to the cessation of hostilities following US President Donald Trump's claims of mediation in the India-Pakistan conflict.
The issue of US tariffs against India is also likely to be taken up during the discussions, in addition to the state of the economy, prices and unemployment. The impeachment motion against Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court is also likely to come up in the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Once the strategy on issues that the party wants to raise in Parliament is finalised, the Congress will speak to other Opposition parties to evolve a joint plan of action for the Monsoon Session, sources said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, however, is expected to appear in a Lucknow court on Tuesday in connection to his alleged remarks on the Armed Forces.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) will hold a meeting of its backward classes advisory committee in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, former CMs, current and former ministers of various states will participate in the meeting, the party said in a statement.
NCP(SP) general body meeting
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) is set to hold its general body meeting on Tuesday ahead of the crucial local body elections in Maharashtra.
The meeting is being held amid reports that the party's Maharashtra chief Jayant Patil is set to resign to make way for a new face. An eight-term MLA and former state Cabinet minister, Patil has served as the state party chief since 2018, when the NCP was still undivided.
A Sharad Pawar loyalist who stayed put after Ajit Pawar rebelled and split the party in 2023, Patil had hinted at stepping down from his post during the NCP(SP)'s foundation day events in June.
Stalin's public outreach
On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin will inaugurate the 'Ungaludan Stalin (Stalin with you)' initiative for doorstep delivery of government services and schemes ahead of the Assembly elections in 2026.
As part of the first phase of the programme, more than 3,500 camps will be held over the course of the next month for the public to submit their grievances.
'The Chief Minister feels that the government machinery should go to the people instead of the public running from pillar to post to avail various government services, hence this programme. Also, we can track the petitions at every stage,' a state government official said.
About 10,000 camps are expected to be held both in rural and urban Tamil Nadu till November-end.
CM Naidu in Delhi
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is in the national capital for a two-day visit beginning on Tuesday. He is expected to meet several Union ministers, attend former PM P V Narasimha Rao's memorial and also participate in a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conference.
Among the leaders Naidu is expected to meet are Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
'The CM will focus on a wide range of issues, including the ongoing projects in Andhra Pradesh, the release of pending funds, the Polavaram-Banakacharla connectivity initiative, and matters related to the rural employment guarantee scheme,' an official release said.
– With PTI inputs
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