'Bihar special status, NEET, Kanwar order': What was discussed in all-party meeting

The Congress reportedly raised the issue of granting the Deputy Speaker's post to the Opposition.

The Central government is facing yet another stormy Parliament session as the Opposition made its intentions clear by raising vexed issues like the NEET-UG row and the Kanwar order controversy at an all-party meeting.

Congress MPs Kodikunnil Suresh, Gaurav Gogoi, Jairam Ramesh and Pramod Tiwari, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, YSRCP MP V. Vijayasai Reddy and other leaders attend the all-party meeting ahead of the Budget session of Parliament.(PTI)

In the all-party meeting, called by the Centre ahead of the Budget Session of the Parliament, the Congress reportedly raised the issue of granting the deputy speaker's post to the Opposition. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also raised the raging NEET-UG row and the alleged misuse of central agencies like the ED and CBI.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav reportedly raised the UP government's order directing shopkeepers to display their names outside their shops along the Kanwar Yatra route.

The all-party meeting was chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh claimed that TDP didn't demand special status for Andhra Pradesh. He, however, said BJP-ally JDU raised the issue of special status for Bihar.

"In today's all-party meeting of floor leaders chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the JD(U) leader demanded special category status of Bihar. The YSRCP leader demanded special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Strangely, the TDP leader kept quiet on the matter," he wrote on X.

Ramesh's post on social media came when the meeting was still underway.

JD(U), a key ally in the ruling NDA, had recently passed a resolution demanding special category status for Bihar.

Gaurav Gogoi said at the meeting that the Opposition should be allowed to raise issues in the Parliament after parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju sought cooperation from every party for the smooth running of the two Houses.

The YSR Congress spoke about the TDP government's alleged targeting of its leaders in Andhra Pradesh.

BJP president J P Nadda, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and Union minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan, Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM, RJD's Abhay Kushwaha, JD(U) Sanjay Jha, AAP's Sanjay Singh, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav and NCP's Praful Patel were among the leaders who attended the customary meeting.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on Tuesday. She will table the Economic Survey in the Parliament on Monday.

With inputs from PTI, ANI