Congress's Parliamentary Strategy Group meet on July 15; support to Delhi ordinance in focus

Congress will hold its Parliamentary Strategy Group’s meeting on Saturday, the second in a fortnight, ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, amid questions whether it will announce its objections on the contentious Delhi ordinance that will ease the path for AAP to attend the Bengaluru summit of Opposition parties.

This will be the second meeting – the first held on July 1 – and one that will be held two days ahead of the Opposition meeting hosted by the Congress in Bengaluru. On July 1, the Congress did not announce its stand on the ordinance, saying it would come up with its position when the Bill to replace the ordinance comes up for discussion in Parliament.

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With Congress extending its invite to AAP, sources said the meeting chaired by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to discuss the issue. However, it is to be seen whether the party would announce its stand as per the pre-condition set by the AAP for its attendance in any future Opposition meeting.

Sources said with Sonia attending the July 17-18 meeting, the Congress is unlikely to precipitate the matter and be held responsible for “bad optics” with an AAP “boycott”. Sonia’s presence has increased the stake of the Opposition meeting but Congress has not indicated how it intends to resolve the stalemate.

In Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is hosting a dinner for the top Opposition leaders on July 17. The absence of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal would make headlines and the Opposition managers are keen to avoid any such issue.

Congress, on the other hand, highlights that its party chief Mallikarjun Kharge himself has assured Kejriwal at the Patna Opposition meeting that Congress cannot support any anti-Constitutional move and would announce its stand at the appropriate time. However, Kejriwal wanted Congress to announce the stand publicly soon after the meeting.

Congress is facing strong opposition from its Delhi and Punjab units over supporting AAP, which is the party’s main opponent in these states. Also, Delhi and Punjab leaders are also pointing out how top leader Rahul Gandhi himself has closed the doors to the BRS in Telangana and want a repeat of that for the AAP.

However, sources said, Congress central leadership is not keen on precipitating trouble by antagonising AAP. Other parties had stood with Congress when AAP insisted on the former announcing its stand on ordinance “then and there” but they would not be keen on shutting the door to Kejriwal, whose party is a force in Delhi and Punjab.