As the last week of the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, all eyes are on the Treasury and Opposition Benches, anticipating yet another clash of ideologies and interests.
In the Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for consideration and approval. The government appears to have a comfortable advantage to pass the Bill, as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) have pledged their support.
The current composition of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) gives it the upper hand, with 103 MPs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allied parties, including four from AIADMK and one each from RPI (Athawale), Asom Gana Parishad, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), National People’s Party, Mizo National Front, and United People’s Party (Liberal). In addition to this, the BJD and the YSRCP, with nine MPs each, take the NDA comfortably above the halfway mark of 119, with a total of 121 MPs. The government's strength could potentially rise further if parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party, Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), and Sikkim Democratic Front, each with one member, decide to align with the NDA.
On the opposition front, the Congress, along with its allies in the 26-party INDIA bloc, holds at least 98 members. This includes support from Trinamool Congress, DMK, and the Aam Aadmi Party, with 13 and 10 MPs, respectively. Other opposition parties adding to the count include the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with six members, and the CPI(M) and Janata Dal (United) with five each. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has four members. However, the ruling party in Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), with seven MPs, has chosen to oppose the Bill, further consolidating the opposition's stance.
As the situation stands, the government has a numerical advantage to successfully pass the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha. Meanwhile, the opposition has mustered significant support, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to counter the government's majority.
The ongoing Monsoon Session is expected to witness heated debates and strategic alliances, as both the Treasury and Opposition Benches vie for their respective interests. The outcome of this Bill will not only impact the governance of the National Capital Territory of Delhi but also serve as a litmus test for the government's strength and the opposition's unity in the upper house of Parliament.