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The bonhomie among members of the all-party teams and support for Operation Sindoor have raised the question if the Congress-led opposition will be effective in the next session
The Congress is geared up to ask the PM some questions, led by leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi (L) and president Mallikarjun Kharge. (Image: PTI/File)
The Congress and other opposition parties like the Trinamool Congress are gearing up for the big fight as soon as Parliament is in session. But, there is a catch.
The bonhomie among members of the all-party teams that the central government sent abroad and their strong words of support for Operation Sindoor has raised a question: Will this camaraderie be a hurdle in the opposition’s fight to make things tough for the Prime Minister and government in Parliament?
The PM plans to meet the delegation members once they are back from their trips. Their diplomatic efforts will be appreciated while the camaraderie shown outside India could spill over once the session begins.
The Congress, for example, is certainly geared up to ask the PM some questions, led by leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. They want to know if the US mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan; what the progress is so far in the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack; and if India suffered any casualties during the military standoff?
Significantly, some Congress leaders representing the delegations – Salman Khurshid, Manish Tewari, and Shashi Tharoor – have completely rejected the possibility of a US mediation. In this situation, with these leaders clearly taking a stand different from the party’s, the Centre will certainly use them to counter-question the Congress.
What has become even more embarrassing for the Congress is that Khurshid, who has a better standing in the party than Tharoor has now, has also wondered insinuations are being made about their stand for the nation.
For these leaders, having stood by the government over allegations made by the Congress, it will be difficult for them to agree with what Gandhi has to say about Operation Sindoor. Many see the idea of sending out the delegations as an ace move from the government, which has been repeatedly asked to hold a special session on Pahalgam attack as well as India’s subsequent action against Pakistan.
These multi-party teams have come as a massive boost for the government, especially as it wants to counter the Congress narrative that is trying to project Narendra Modi as a weak PM.
The confusion within the Congress, however, will not only weaken its battle in Parliament but also shows how weak its top leadership is with multiple voices contradicting the official party stand. Not just this, it also shows the iron grip that the Gandhis once had may be loosening.
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als…Read More
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als… Read More
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