Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on the Opposition to focus on constructive debate during the Winter Session of Parliament, urging them to “deliver, not do drama” in the wake of their recent electoral setback in Bihar. Speaking ahead of the session’s commencement, he said India has once again proven the strength of its democracy, highlighting the high turnout and participation of women in the Bihar polls.
Modi took a veiled swipe at the Opposition, suggesting they were still rattled by the election results. Despite the National Democratic Alliance’s sweeping victory winning 202 of 243 seats the prime minister said his alliance must remain grounded and ensure success does not translate into arrogance.
Addressing the media outside Parliament, Modi said he hoped the Opposition had by now accepted the Bihar outcome. However, their public statements, he added, indicated otherwise. He went a step further, offering to give them “tips” on how to improve their strategy and perform better in future elections.
The Winter Session, scheduled to run until December 19, is expected to be turbulent, with the Opposition insisting on a debate over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The government has yet to clearly agree to the discussion and has listed 10 new bills for introduction, including a debate to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram.
At Sunday’s all-party meeting, the SIR debate dominated discussions. Some Opposition leaders warned the government that Parliament would not function without the discussion, though parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju later clarified that no party had explicitly threatened to stall proceedings.
Rijiju said the government was committed to dialogue and urged all parties to ensure smooth functioning of the House to maintain productivity. With tensions high and political stakes sharper than ever, the Winter Session appears set for heated exchanges in the days ahead.
