Congress and TMC to challenge BJP over price hikes

Worried? The rise in prices of essential commodities has blighted the first stages of the Narendra Modi government

The Congress and the Trinamool Congress will corner the BJP government on the issue of price rise during the Budget session of Parliament starting July 7.

Both parties want a debate on the high prices of essential commodities in the session, where the focus of the government would be financial business.

While Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee raised the issue during a customary allparty meeting called by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Saturday, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad flagged the issue after a strategy meeting chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP veteran L.K. Advani later attended a lunch hosted by the Speaker for these leaders but did not attend the meeting.

Banerjee said the price rises and the situation caused by a hike in rail fares and freight should be the first items to be taken up after the presentation of the rail budget and union budget on July 8 and 10.

Speaking separately, Azad pointed out that the BJP had attacked the UPA government over the price rise issue but was unable to control it now.

"We will be willing to discuss any issue of national importance," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said.

He urged the opposition to cooperate to ensure that the dignity of parliament is maintained and business is conducted smoothly.