A 'strong federal force' emerging from Parliament: Derek O'Brien

derek o brien

There is a "strong federal force" emerging from Parliament, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said on Wednesday, after opposition parties and some constituents of the ruling coalition mounted united protest in both Houses over issues such as vandalisation of statues and banking fraud.

Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out for the third straight day today as opposition parties as well as NDA allies Shiv Sena, TDP and AIADMK stalled business.

"Our understanding is that there is a strong federal force emerging from Parliament. It's a pro-people, pro-states and anti-BJP formation which will evolve both in a structured and unstructured form," O'Brien told PTI.

According to some opposition leaders, with the "resentment against government riding high" amongst them, it would be extremely difficult for it to run the House for the full week.

"It is not only the opposition parties, even the BJP's ally TDP is protesting. TDP's members have informally told us that they would continue their protest beyond the first week of the session if their demands (for special grants from Andhra Pradesh) are not met," O'Brien said.

The TMC is going to chalk out its Parliament strategy for the next week at its core committee meet on March 9 in Kolkata.

The stand of the YSR Congress members, who have reportedly threatened to resign from their parliament membership on April 6 if the government does not fulfil the promise of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh, has created tremendous pressure for the state's ruling TDP, a constituent of the NDA.

Though the TDP has yet not taken a call on quitting NDA, the opposition parties feel that the southern party is unlikely to break bread with the BJP any more and would soon quit the alliance.