All-party meeting held ahead of Winter Session of Parliament

With the upcoming Winter Session scheduled to begin on December 4, a crucial gathering of floor leaders from both houses of Parliament and different political factions occurred on Saturday. The session, presided over by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, was attended by a number of key leaders.

The Winter Session, which is scheduled to last until December 22, drew early attention as leaders convened at the Parliament Library building for deliberations, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, Pramod Tiwari, and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji were among the opposition representatives, indicating broad participation across party lines.

The meeting, a day ahead of the much-awaited announcement of assembly election results in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana (scheduled for December 3), is expected to have repercussions on the parliamentary session. Various exit polls have speculated diverse outcomes for the contesting parties, heightening the session’s anticipation.

Expressing optimism, Mahua Maji of JMM stated, “We are hopeful that our government will be formed in many states.” Meanwhile, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari highlighted the unreliability of exit polls, emphasizing their reliance on feedback from grassroots workers and asserting the likelihood of forming majority governments in the aforementioned states and an alliance in Mizoram.

The session is poised to address crucial bills, including those aimed at replacing the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act. Additionally, the Ethics Committee’s report on the ‘cash-for-query’ allegations involving Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra is slated for presentation on the inaugural day of the Winter Session in Lok Sabha.