16 parties take part in Opposition party leaders' meet led by Kharge

Congress Lok Sabha Sabha and Rajya Sabha members also participated in the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting to decide the strategy for the Budget session

Sixteen parties participated in the Opposition party leaders' meeting chaired by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament on Monday.

Indian National Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Janata Dal (United), Aam Admi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Kerala Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Nationalist Congress Party, Communist Party of India, Indian Union Muslim League; Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Revolutionary Socialist Party; Rashtriya Janata Dal, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and the NC.

Earlier today, a meeting of Congress MPs under the chairmanship of party president Mallikarjun Kharge was held at the party's Parliamentary Party (CPP) office in Parliament to chalk out the strategy. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were present at the meeting.

Congress Lok Sabha Sabha and Rajya Sabha members also participated in the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting to decide the strategy for the Budget session. Talking to ANI ahead of the start of the proceedings of the day, Mr. Kharge said, "Opposition leaders will bring up every issue including unemployment, inflation, and raids by ED-CBI. We will take the opinions of all opposition leaders to form a strategy".

Mr. Kharge on Sunday met Vice President and Upper House Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar in the national capital on the eve of the commencement of the second part of the Budget Session and sought his cooperation. Mr. Kharge said that the Opposition parties are "keen to play" a constructive role in making the government accountable.

The Budget session of 2023 resumed after a month-long recess. The recess was for enabling the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine the demands for grants and make reports relating to their Ministries or departments. The focus of the second part of the Budget Session which resumes on March 13 will be on the demand for grants and passage of the Union Budget. The government is also likely to bring in legislation for passage in this part.