New Delhi: As the opposition gathered to decide strategy for the upcoming discussion on Budget on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi faced a unanimous demand from allies that he should start the debate, if only to get back at BJP which had not let him speak for seven days. The demand was led by DMK’s T R Baalu and supported by others. But Rahul resisted.He argued that if he stood up to speak, it would result in objections from the treasury benches. And the ensuing commotion would cost every opposition party the chance to speak. He underlined that all regional parties has important issues to raise, and they should not fall prey to “organised disruptions” of BJP. The move won a few hearts in the room, with an ally-critic of LoP Rahul Gandhi later describing it as a “magnanimous” gesture.The meeting was attended by Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal, Naseer Hussain and Manickam Tagore, Ramgopal Yadav (SP), N K Premachandran (RSP), Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant (SS), John Brittas (CPM), PC Gupta (RJD), Shatabdi Roy (TMC), E T Mohd Basheer (IUML), Rajaram Singh (CPI-ML), among others.That was how the plan was clinched, with the party sticking to Shashi Tharoor to initiate the discussion. Gandhi will speak on the Budget on Wednesday.When the India bloc leaders met in Kharge’s chamber to brainstorm on the future course, the allies decided on ending the logjam. If Gandhi is still blocked from speaking, they would submit the planned no-confidence notice against Speaker Om Birla, and then get on with the stalled business. If Gandhi is allowed, the notice will not be filed. Lok Sabha is now expected to hold normal proceedings.
