Opposition all set to confront government on price rise

The monsoon session of the Parliament is expected to start on a stormy note tomorrow with a united opposition set to confront the government on price rise and host of other issues.

The opposition will press for an adjournment motion on the price rise issue on Tuesday morning as the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are expected to be adjourned immediately after obituary references over the death of two sitting members on the first day.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh today skipped a meeting of the leaders of political parties convened by speaker Meira Kumar who said he was unwell but the prime minister's office said he was tired after attending the day-long meeting of the National Development Council yesterday.

With the government in no mood to accept the opposition demand, a confrontation between the two sides is expected.

In a veiled warning, leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj today said that there would not be any disturbance if the government heeded to their demand. She said that the UPA partners Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam and Trinamool Congress too wanted a discussion on the issue of price rise.

Swaraj alleged that the government had tried to break the opposition unity by its moves like the CBI filing chargesheet against former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah but failed as opposition has made common cause on the issue of price rise.

The Indo-Pak talks, illegal mining issue, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir are among the main issues which will be raised by the parties during the session.

The Bhopal gas tragedy issue is also expected to generate heat during the month-long session with the BJP planning to seek a discussion under a rule that entails voting.

The opposition, Swaraj said after a meeting of the political leaders on the eve of the session, would demand an annulment of the agreement reached with Union Carbide under which paltry relief was given to the affected people in the 1984 tragedy.

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to be targeted in the session with almost all parties demanding discussion on a spate of  railway accidents.