The Government faces a stormy Budget Session with 36 pending Bills, and the main Opposition BJP and its coalition partner Left preparing to corner them on the twin issues of spiralling prices and collapse of internal security.The Left may not allow the government take BJP’s help in the passing of the Pension Bill or impose President’s Rule in UP, but they are ready to join hands with the Opposition on price rise. The Government seems to have already frittered away the brownie points gained on the economic growth front as prices of essential commodites continue to burn holes in the common man’s pocket.The session opens with President Kalam’s address to the joint session of the Houses tomorrow and will be followed by the Railway Budget on Monday, Economic Survey on Tuesday and Chidrambaram’s third budget on Wednesday.With such packed programme, Opposition leaders say that “the only day left for us to protest is Tuesday. We are unlikely to let the House function when the government is doing little to control spiralling prices. We have also given adjournment (motion) notices on inflation and internal security.” Of course the fact that election results of three states — Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur — will be out on Tuesday, a day before the Budget, may also prove tough for the smooth running of the House. Coming a day before the Budget session, the results will certainly have an impact on the session. If the results go against the Congress as has been predicted, the government will certainly have “a very stormy session” ahead. Besides price rise, Samjhauta blasts, FDI in retail and the SEZ issue and the foreign policy front, the government has to satisfactorily address the concerns of both the Left and the BJP on the ongoing Indo-US nuclear deal, Indo-Pak peace talks and the India’s stand on Iran.The formal parting of ways between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party after the later withdrew its support to the UPA and the ongoing political battle in UP will have its own impact on the session. “The SP is already a loose cannon which will not desist from giving the government a serious headache in the House,” a senior Congress leader said.
