The winter session of parliament will begin on November 25 with dense smog hung over the national capital. The issue is likely to feature inside the house as the national capital region has been dealing with the health hazard due to pollution.
The government has even called an all party meeting November 24 to decide on the agenda of the house.
The session will start a day after the results of assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, and crucial bypolls in several states will be declared. The results will set the tone of the session as winning side will enter the debates with confidence. If the results favour the ruling NDA, which means it has continued with its winning streak after Haryana, the treasury benches will applaud Prime Minister Narendra Modi's contribution.
The adverse results will provide the opposition with increased fire power. The possible addition of Priyanka Gandhi from Wayanad is likely to reflect in the house. How her entry plays out in terms of Opposition strategy and dynamic with the treasury benches will be keenly watched.
The winter session is important as the government could bring important legislative agenda in the house. The joint parliamentary committee is likely to submit its report on the the Waqf Bill to the house, after which the government may bring an amended bill. This legislation is set to provoke an intense discussion in the house as the Opposition parties are opposed to it. Whether the government introduces the one nation, one election bill in the house is yet to be seen. The government has earlier said that it will initiate nationwide discussion on the issue.
Two key events will also take place during the winter session—the 75th anniversary of the Constitution and the anniversary of the parliament attack. A special function will be held to mark the 75 years of the Constitution.
Among the other issues which may find resonance in the house is the India-Canada relations—which are impacting the students—and the attacks on temples in that country. The parliament may witness a slanging match as to who is responsible for the pollution in Delhi as the Opposition would lay the blame at the Centre, while the central government will accuse AAP ruled Punjab and Delhi of not being able to tackle the issue due to farm fires.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has also sparked off a debate as he took to X saying that Delhi was inhabitable due to pollution. “Should Delhi even remain the nation's capital?" the Congress leader said.
