Ensure presence in Parliament to back bills with maximum numbers: Shah to BJP MPs

Noting that the Opposition has been pressing for a division of votes during the passage of many Bills, BJP president Amit Shah told party MPs on Tuesday to ensure their presence in Parliament so that draft legislations are backed by maximum number of lawmakers.

Addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Shah also asked MPs, including Union ministers, to attend a two-day orientation programme being held by the party on August 3-4, saying their attendance is a must, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present in the meeting but did not address the MPs, will also speak at the programme, a course on parliamentary procedure and rules, and also the saffron party's ideology.

In his speech, Shah said that the motion for consideration of the National Medical Commission Bill in Lok Sabha on Monday was passed with 260-48 votes, sources said after the meeting, adding that the BJP president stated that the margin should have been bigger.

The BJP alone has 303 members in Lok Sabha while its allies have near 50 votes.

Since the Opposition has often been pressing for divisions of votes, BJP members should be present in their respective House, he said.

Top BJP brass, including Modi, have time and again stressed on the need for the party MPs to be present in Parliament. Modi has at times expressed his displeasure at the absenteeism.

In his briefing, Joshi told reporters that Parliament has so far passed 15



bills.

There are six bills which have been passed by only Lok Sabha and are yet to get Rajya Sabha's nod.

There are four bills which have been passed by only Rajya Sabha and are yet to get Lok Sabha's nod, the parliamentary affairs minister said.

He added that 11 other bills are still pending and will be tabled in both the Houses in the coming days.

"We request parliamentarians to sit late so that all these bills could be passed," Joshi said.

The ongoing session had started from June 17 and was scheduled to end on July 26, but it has been extended till August 7 now.

The session will go down in history as one of the most productive sessions in the recent times, he said.

Raj Thackeray to arrive in city, meet Mamata Banerejee on Wednesday

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) supremo Raj Thackeray will arrive in the city on Tuesday evening.

He will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at state Secretariat Nabanna on Wednesday.

"They are likely to discuss electoral reforms, demand for return to ballot papers and the political situation in the country," a source close to the MNS chief told media.

TMC sources said that Thackeray had called up Mamata Banerjee and expressed his desire to meet her for discussing the issues.

Banerjee, a strong advocate of electoral reforms and return to ballot papers, had accused the BJP of winning the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by tampering EVM machines.