Abhishek holds meet with party MPs to chalk out plan for special Parliament session

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) is all set to play a crucial role in the ongoing special session in Parliament as the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is chalking out strategies to raise protests against the various decisions of the Centre.

Soon after his arrival in Delhi, Banerjee held a meeting with his party MPs at the old Parliament building, chalking out plans on how to fight the BJP-led Centre within the democratic framework.

Sources said that Abhishek will speak in Lok Sabha against the CEC Bill during the ongoing special session which started on Monday.

TMC, at the all-party meeting on Sunday, questioned the “haste” in which the Bill was tabled ahead of polls in several states.

Trinamool also said the Women’s Reservation Bill should be tabled at the special session; a proposition supported by most Opposition parties.

According to sources, Banerjee will be Trinamool’s speaker against the CEC Bill in Lok Sabha while its MP Jawhar Sircar will speak in the Upper House, it was learnt.

The party has already dubbed the CEC Bill “dangerous”. Calling the Bill “anti-constitutional”, “anti-judicial” and “anti-democratic”, Trinamool argued that it should not be introduced just months before Lok Sabha elections, sources said.

TMC members also emphasised that the government should not disrupt the session. Abhishek, who will stay in Delhi this week, is also expected to play a key role in the proposed meeting with Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister Giriraj Singh on October 3. Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is likely to join this meeting.