Monsoon session begins tomorrow

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New Delhi: A heavy agenda including the ordinance on the Food Security Bill awaits the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning tomorrow amid expectations that the short sitting will be more businesslike and smooth as compared to the din and dust in the last few sessions.
However, the decision on separate Telangana could cast a shadow on the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the first few days with members from Andhra Pradesh agitated over the move likely to create uproar.
Several members from the Seemandhra region belonging to Congress and TDP have tendered their resignations in protest against the decision, but they have not been accepted and Congress leadership is attempting to persuade its MPs and ministers not to take extreme action.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already sought Opposition's cooperation in the passage of the legislative business including the "most important" ordinance on foodsecurity bill.
Promising to discuss all issues raised by the Opposition, Singh has hoped that the session which will conclude on August 30 will be "very constructive and productive". There has not been any assurance from the Opposition. Only yesterday, Finance Minister P Chidambaram reached out to BJP for support to key reform bills on opening up the insuranceand pension sector, but failed to get assurance.
Chidambaram had a discussion with BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha on the financial bills that have been listed for consideration during the session.
The BJP leaders agreed to support routine and necessary financial business but indicated that the party will continue to oppose further opening of the insurance and pension sectors to foreign direct investment (FDI).
Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has demanded a debate on the current economic situation in the backdrop of the declining rupee, rising prices and slowing GDPgrowth.
As many as some 40 bills have been listed for consideration and passage in the session, which will have only 12 working days and government has expressed readiness to extend the session if need be. 
NDA for quid pro quo from govt in Parliament's Monsoon Session
New Delhi: Virtually demanding a quid pro quofrom the government in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, BJP-led NDA said it will cooperate on crucial financial legislations provided the opposition is given space to raise issues of national interest.
After a meeting of NDA floor leaders of both Houses of Parliament, Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government "has too much on its plate" as itintends to get five Ordinances and 44 Bills passed in the short session.
"If legislation is crucial for the government, articulation of issues of national interest is important for the opposition," Prasad told reporters.
The opposition contended that it will support passage of important financial bills provided it is given opportunity to flag issues like state of the economy and the sliding Rupee,Telangana, Uttarakhand, China's aggression, the tiff between the IB and CBI, Food Security Bill and frequent hikes in petrol and diesel prices.
He suggested that the government should prioritise its legislative agenda as the session has only 16 working days.
Sources, however, said the session is likely to be stormy as it will be followed by elections to five state assemblies. The Opposition also wants to corner the government keeping theLok Sabha polls, due early next year in mind.
High on the agenda of the NDA, which comprises Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena other than the BJP, are the recent floods in Uttarakhand and the Telangana issue. Aware that the government cannot bring a Bill on forming a separate Telangana in this session as several processes have to be completed, BJP wants to embarrass the government with its demand that the Bill be brought and passed in the monsoon session itself.
On the insurance and pensions bills, BJP is of the firm view that the recommendation of Standing Committee on Finance allowing only 26 per cent FDI be followed by the government, sources said.