New Delhi, December 9
The resounding poll victories of the Congress in three out of five states will set the tone for discussions in the phase two of the 14th session of Parliament, starting tomorrow.

In the evening, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met President Pratibha Patil and discussed internal security, the Mumbai terror attacks and other issues of national importance.

The hour-long meeting took place amid speculation that the PM would soon be undertaking a cabinet reshuffle in the wake of resignation of Union home minister and the indisposition of information and broadcasting minister.

The ensuing session will be unprecedented in a sense that it started in monsoon and has lasted up to winter. Technically, it’s the extension of the monsoon session the government had called on July 21 to bring the confidence motion.

After a resonating win in Delhi, Rajasthan and Mizoram, the ruling Congress will now find it easy to take on the BJP on the reigning issue of terror, besides pushing for some serious legislative business. Suddenly on the backfoot after yesterday’s surprise losses, the BJP will have to rework its strategy to counter the ruling coalition in Parliament.

The government on its part is likely to introduce more economic legislations now that elections in five states are over and the model code of conduct no longer in operation. After the Prime Minister recently announced the economic relief package, it would be natural for the government to push the pending legislations like the Bank Regulation Bill and amendments to the Forward Contracts Bill. The government is also expected to explain what it is doing to fend off the impact of global economic meltdown.

But topmost on government agenda will be the finalisation of the federal investigating agency in the aftermath of Mumbai terror strikes. Discussions on the requirement of a stringent terror law are also expected, say sources, adding that the government would immediately want to deliver on the terror and inflation fronts before the Lok Sabha elections.

Reliable sources add that the ensuing session may not be the last as it is being anticipated. “It appears there will be another session in February and the Lok Sabha elections will be held as per the schedule in April-May,” they say, adding that the government would not want to rush into general elections.

Within the Congress too, there is a realisation that the recent poll verdict can’t be taken as final, and there is no urgency for the government to take chances. Moreover, the government is aiming to rein in inflation at the moment. “Instead of rushing into parliamentary elections, the government would rather consolidate its alliance, legislate on the economic and terrorism front and then go to people in April-May,” predict political observers.

Union Panchayati Raj minister Mani Shankar Aiyar categorically told The Tribune today that advancement of general elections would be a blunder. He added that terror was still an issue weighing on people’s minds and needs to be accordingly addressed.

And though there may not be any official word on the matter, the UPA, in all likelihood, would not want to go the NDA way. Post resounding assembly election wins in December 2003, the NDA top brass committed the mistake of misreading voters’ mind, dissolved the Lok Sabha in February 2004 and rushed into an early general election. They lost. The parliament’s term at that time was to end in September.

Given the past instances, it is possible that the government holds another session in February before going to Lok Sabha polls as per schedule.

Tomorrow’s proceedings are expected to be adjourned as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, who passed away recently. There will however be a reference by Lok Sabha Speaker to Mumbai terror attacks that unleashed unprecedented death and destruction on Indian soil.