Parliament Special Session: Floor leaders of Opposition’s INDIA bloc parties Monday met at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence and discussed their strategy for the special session of Parliament. During the meeting, it was decided that leaders of at least 24 out of total 28 INDIA bloc parties will attend the five-day special session starting from September 18.

Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi will also write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of the Opposition parties and seek details on the agenda of the special session.

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The government has called a surprise special session of the Parliament from September 18 to 22. However, the government didn’t reveal the agenda of the session, a norm being followed for years. The Opposition has objected to this and demanded the government disclose the agenda.

“Modi Govt is convening a special session of Parliament for the first time without spelling out the agenda. No one from any Opposition party has been consulted or informed. This is not the way to run a democracy,” Congress chief Kharge posted on social media platform X after the meeting.

Kharge also alleged that the withholding the agenda of special session is a tactic of Modi government to divert attention from real issues.

“Everyday, Modi Govt plants a story in the media of a prospective ‘agenda’, thereby creating a smokescreen of diversion from real issues burdening the people…,” he added.

Speculations have been rife ever since the government announced its decision to call the special session. One of the speculated agenda is that the government wants to bring One Nation One Election, which will require amendment to the Constitution. A committee was also formed soon after the special session announcement to look into the possibilities of simultaneous polls.

President Dropdi Murmu’s official invite to G20 leaders mentioned her as “President of Bharat” instead of India. The Opposition has claimed that the government wants to change the name of the country to Bharat after they named their alliance INDIA, an acronym for Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance. There are speculations that the government wants to effect this name change during the special session.