The Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the opposition during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. The claims, counterclaims, and interjections all point towards a confrontational atmosphere in the 18th Lok Sabha, perhaps shaped by changes in its composition.

From 2019 to 2024, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and friendly parties held a significant lead of around 300 MPs over the INDIA bloc and opposition. However, this session saw the margin narrowing to just 60 MPs. The verbal sparring between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi turned acrimonious and personal, reflecting the recently concluded election campaign dynamics and entrenched positions.

Both Congress And BJP Remain Steadfast

While the Congress aims to sustain momentum, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains resolute not to concede further ground. The shift in strength, allocation of time for parties, and the calibre of speakers on both sides will significantly influence proceedings over the next five years. During the recent Motion of Thanks debate, Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, spoke for nearly an hour and 40 minutes out of the allotted 16 hours – roughly 15% of the total time allotted to the opposition.

Time allocations are based on Lok Sabha strength. During the No Confidence Motion of August 2023, the BJP received around 45% of the time, while the Congress’ share was just 18% With the BJP’s friendly parties (the Biju Janata Dal, the YSR Congress Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party) losing ground in recent elections, their allocation has shifted notably to opposition parties.

Also Read | ‘Hug, Wink In Parliament’: PM Modi’s Dig At Rahul Gandhi

Some prominent speakers from the treasury benches, such as Smriti Irani, were notably absent. Conversely, the presence of parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) has bolstered the opposition, particularly with effective speakers in fluent Hindi. Akhilesh Yadav’s speech, noted for its sarcasm without overt anger, followed Rahul’s assertive tone.

Rahul’s Performance As LoP

During Monday’s session, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, highlighting issues including inflation, unemployment, NEET, Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, the Agniveer scheme, and Hindutva, aiming to put the government on the defensive. Top ministers, including the Prime Minister, intervened during Rahul’s speech.

While Rahul addressed critical issues, some noted the absence of specific data and figures in his speech. There is already an ongoing debate over Rahul’s performance in his role as Leader of the Opposition, with supporters arguing his assertiveness marks a significant political presence that cannot be ignored.

Not new to controversy, Rahul made a reference to the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating, that those who called themselves Hindu only talked about violence, hatred, and untruth. PM Modi rebutted instantly.

Also Read | “Every MP’s Right”: Rahul Gandhi Questions Expunging Of Parts Of Speech

References in Rahul’s speech to to Hinduism and violence, two prominent industrialists, the Agnipath scheme, and NEET, were expunged. The LoP subsequently wrote to the Speaker questioning the decision and demanding the restoration of his remarks in parliamentary records.

Modi’s Address

On Tuesday, PM Modi delivered the concluding remarks on the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha. His speech, lasting around 2.5 hours, was a scathing attack on the Congress and Rahul. Throughout his address, the opposition shouted slogans, prompting Modi to use headphones to counter the noise. Despite the interruptions, Modi’s speech, though not entirely audible, gave enough hints of the things to come in the next five years.

Modi criticised the opposition’s maturity level, noting that while the treasury benches listened to Rahul’s speech with interjections rather than shouting slogans, the opposition did not afford the same respect to the Prime Minister. Expressing displeasure at the sloganeering, Modi referred to Rahul as “balak buddhi” (childish) and mocked how a party celebrating 99 out of 543 seats was acting as if it had won 99 out of 100. He criticised the Congress party’s promise of transferring Rs. 1 lakh to women’s bank accounts, highlighting the public’s scepticism about similar promises made earlier.

Modi accused Rahul of resorting to drama to garner sympathy, pointing out his bail status in alleged financial misconduct.

Overall, the debate was disappointing for both the opposition and the ruling party. BJP leaders neglected discussion around their agenda for the next five years, while the opposition failed to engage in constructive criticism and effectively address issues like NEET. Both sides instead resorted to mudslinging, seemingly forgetting that the elections were over.

The session’s outcome suggests the potential for more disruptions and chaos in Parliament. Both sides must reconcile with the electoral mandate and strive for a fresh start in the upcoming Budget session.

(Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist and commentator. In his earlier avatar, he was a corporate and investment banker.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today praised new Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty for her maiden speech in the House. Speaking during a discussion on the motion of thanks on the President’s Address in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Ms Murty spoke about women’s health.

Quoting her father, she said when a mother dies it is counted as one death in the hospital but for the family, a mother is lost forever.

“I want to thank Sudha Murty for speaking in detail about women’s health,” PM Modi said as the philanthropist-author stood up and greeted him.

While referring to Ms Murty’s “emotional” remark on mothers, he said his government has focused on women’s health and sanitation as a “priority sector” in the last 10 years.

भारत ने नारा नहीं, बल्कि निष्ठा के साथ Women Led Development की ओर कदम बढ़ाए हैं: PM @narendramodi#ParliamentSession#PMModiInRajyaSabha#ParliamentSession2024pic.twitter.com/rN1bcquKm3

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) July 3, 2024

“Our country’s women have benefited from the toilets we have made,” PM Modi said while replying to a debate on a motion thanking President Droupadi Murmu for her address to the joint sitting of Parliament last week.

He also said they have provided sanitary pads and initiated a vaccination program during pregnancy for women.

Sudha Murty’s Maiden Speech In Rajya Sabha

Sudha Murty pressed for a government-sponsored vaccination programme to combat cervical cancer.

“There is a vaccination which is given to girls, between the age of nine to 14, known as a cervical vaccination. If the girls take that, it (cancer) can be avoided … we should promote vaccination for the benefit of our girls because prevention is better than cure,” she said in her first speech in Rajya Sabha.

ALSO READ | Over 3.4 Lakh Cervical Cancer Cases In India In 2023

The government has handled a very “big vaccination drive during Covid” so it may not be very difficult to provide cervical vaccination to girls in the age group of 9-14 years, she said.

Ms Murty, who was nominated by President Droupadi Murmu to the upper house on the eve of International Women’s Day, said the cervical vaccination has been developed in the West and has been used for the last 20 years.

“It worked very well. It is not expensive. Today it is Rs 1,400 for people like me who are in the field. If the government intervenes and negotiates…you can bring it to Rs 700-800. We have such a large population. It will be beneficial for our girls in the future,” she said during her 13-minute address.

New Delhi:

BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla today shared two videos from Lok Sabha – one that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the other one of Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

In one video, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen offering water to a Congress MP, while the other clip showed Rahul Gandhi asking Opposition members to disrupt the Prime Minister’s yesterday address.

“Pic1: LoP Rahul Gandhi himself encouraging MPs to break rules & jump in the well and disturb PM speech from very beginning. Pic2: PM Modi offers water even to a protesting MP who is heckling him,” Mr Poonawalla said in his post on X – earlier known as Twitter.

“Who is the dictator ? Does Rahul even deserve to be the Leader of Opposition,” he asked.

Two contrasting pictures

Pic1: LoP Rahul Gandhi himself encouraging MPs to break rules & jump in the well and disturb PM speech from very beginning

Pic2: PM Modi offers water even to a protesting MP who is heckling him

Who is the dictator ? Does Rahul even deserve to be… pic.twitter.com/au4fke9UmL

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) July 3, 2024

Both videos were from yesterday’s Lok Sabha proceedings as PM Modi responded to the Motion of Thanks for the President’s address.

The Opposition threw a wall of noise – protests, slogans, and screams – at PM Modi as he was speaking. The Prime Minister, though, laboured on through the uproar for over two hours, once it became clear that the Opposition would not relent.

At one point, he offered a glass of water to Congress member Manickam Tagore, who was protesting in the Well.

Without mentioning Rahul Gandhi by name, PM Modi referred to him as “balakbuddhi (the immature one)”, saying he “does not know his limits”.

“The country is now feeling sorry that he is here,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also spoke of minority appeasement, alleged corruption during the UPA government, Jammu and Kashmir, Article 370 and surgical strikes against terrorists — all amid the loud Opposition protests.

As PM Modi continued, the volume of protests increased. Admonishing the Opposition, Mr Birla said, “Yesterday, I allowed you to speak for 90 minutes. No one stopped you. This is no way to behave,” he said. Then, in an afterthought, he added, “Paanch saal aise nahin chalega (We cannot have five years of this)”.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi – in the middle of a fierce attack on the Congress and the opposition in Parliament this evening – broke off to inform the House of a tragedy in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras.

Dozens, including women and children, were killed in a stampede at a prayer meet.

Mr Modi, who was fighting a vociferous battle with the opposition while speaking on the Motion of Thanks to President Droupadi Murmu’s joint address to Parliament last week, paused and told his fellow MPs of the tragedy. As he did so, the Lok Sabha, which seconds earlier had reverberated with the shrieks and screams and chants of opposition MPs targeting the PM fell completely silent.

“In the midst of these discussions I have also been given sad news. It has come to my attention that there have been many tragic deaths in the stampede in Hathras…” the Prime Minister said.

READ | 87, Including Children, Killed In Stampede At Religious Event In UP

“I express my condolences to those who lost their lives (and) hope for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he added, as murmurs broke from MPs preparing to add the Hathras stampede to their arsenal of weapons against Mr Modi and his ruling BJP, which is also in power in Uttar Pradesh.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “There are reports of many people dying in the stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. I express my condolences to those who lost their lives in this accident. I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The administration is engaged… pic.twitter.com/UasFmME0br

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2024

Mr Modi also said senior central government officers had been instructed to contact their state counterparts to coordinate rescue and aid efforts. “Through this forum, I assure everyone that all possible assistance will be provided to the victims,” he said. The PM’s office has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to each of the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 to each of those injured.

The Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Hathras. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 2, 2024

The Hathras Lok Sabha MP – the BJP’s Anoop Pradhan – said he had spoken to district officers but declined to comment on the number of dead. The injured, he said, were being treated at hospitals.

Before and after the Prime Minister’s mention of the Hathras stampede, the opposition threw a wall of noise – protests, slogans, and screams – at Mr Modi as he was speaking.

READ | PM’s Speech Amid Opposition Chants, Speaker Rebukes Rahul

Such was the relentless sloganeering that Speaker Om Birla appeared to lose his temper on more than one occasion as he tried, without any success, to control the shrieking opposition.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

New Delhi:

Akhilesh Yadav has underlined his distrust of EVMs, or Electronic Voting Machines, stating he would be loath to change his opinion even if he were to win all of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats.

“I did not trust EVMs yesterday, I don’t trust them today. Even if I win all 80 seats in UP, I still will not trust EVMs. This will always be an issue,” the ex-UP Chief Minister said, “We (Mr Yadav’s Samajwadi Party) will remain adamant on this… if we win with EVMs we will still remove it.”

“This will never be resolved till use of EVM is stopped… and we are determined to do so,” he said in Parliament, replying to the Motion of Thanks on President Droupadi Murmu’s address last week.

The opposition’s red flags over EVMs – that they can be hacked and/or votes manipulated – were a major flashpoint before and during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, with the Supreme Court ruling on petitions mid-poll. The court ultimately dismissed a pleas seeking a paper cross-check of each vote.

#WATCH | On EVMs, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav says,”…EVM pe mujhe kal bhi bharosa nahi tha, aaj bhi nahi hai bharosa, mein 80/80 seats jeet jaun tab bhi nahi bharosa…The issue of EVM has not died” pic.twitter.com/UJIS6hBGQt

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2024

That did not, however, silence opposition leaders who doubted the technology, of whom Mr Yadav has been among the most vocal. He raised similar questions during the 2022 UP state election too.

READ | Officer Admitted To “Lapse”: SP Tweets Video In EVM Row

During that election Mr Yadav also accused the BJP of trying to steal votes, with specific reference to alleged illegal activities in Varanasi, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha seat.

And in December, weeks before the Lok Sabha election, the SP leader said EVMs – he referred to them as “those machines” – “… have created a feeling of distrust in the minds of the people”.

READ | EVMs Create Distrust, Should Use Ballot Papers: Akhilesh Yadav

He pointed to the United States as an example; the US Presidential election uses paper ballots.

“In the most powerful country in the world… months are spent on counting… (in India) over 140 crore people decide the country’s future. Why do you want results in three hours?” he had asked.

The opposition’s attacks over the use of EVMs got an unexpected boost last month after X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk responded to a post by Robert F Kennedy Jr, ex-President John F Kennedy’s nephew on polling irregularities in the American territory of Puerto Rico.

READ | INDIA Allies Latch On To Musk’s Remarks On EVMs

Akhilesh Yadav was among the opposition leaders who spoke up.

“Technology is to remove problems… if they become a cause of problems their use must be stopped. When risks of tampering are being flagged in elections across the world, and well-known technology experts are flagging risks, BJP must clear the air on why they are bent on using EVMs,” he said.

Despite such protests, however, the Election Commission has maintained EVMs constitute a viable voting method, and that robust technical and administrative safeguards are in place for their use.

READ | In VVPAT Case, Court’s 2 Big Directions On EVMs, SUs

Mr Yadav’s Samajwadi Party is part of the Congress-led INDIA bloc that stymied the BJP’s grand ‘abki baar, 400 paar‘ plan in the 2024 election. The SP won 37 seats – its best Lok Sabha poll return.

Mr Yadav contested and won his family bastion of Kannauj.

That restricted the BJP to just 33 seats in a state it has dominated since 2014; fueled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and later by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP had swept UP in four consecutive elections – two Lok Sabha and two Assembly – before the opposition’ reality check.

The BJP finished the election with only 240 seats but retained power thanks to 53 won by allies.

The opposition – the INDIA bloc – won 232 seats, with a rejuvenated Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, picking up 99 to more than double its tally from the last two elections.

With input from PTI

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

New Delhi:
India’s criminal justice system will undergo a complete overhaul today with three fresh criminal codes replacing the full set of British-era laws, including the Indian Penal Code.

Here are the Top 10 points in this big story:

India’s captain Rohit Sharma and spinner Kuldeep Yadav celebrate a wicket during the semi-final match against England in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2024, at Providence Stadium in Guyana on June 28, 2024
| Photo Credit: ANI

INDIA bloc plans adjournment motions in both Houses of Parliament on NEET issue

Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc will move adjournment motions in both the Houses of Parliament on June 28 over the alleged irregularities in the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) and paper leaks in other public exams. 

Rohit Sharma, spinners guide India to third T20 World Cup final

Skipper Rohit Sharma’s grace was matched by the might of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as India exorcised the ghosts of 2022 by handing defending champions England a 68-run thrashing to enter the final of the T20 World Cup in Georgetown on June 27.

Students protest at Jantar Mantar, want NTA dissolved

While the President addressed the NEET issue in Parliament on Thursday, only a few km away, Jantar Mantar saw back-to-back protests with students and youth leaders demanding the dissolving of the controversy-riddled National Testing Agency (NTA) and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Simultaneously, Congress-affiliated NSUI members marched to the NTA and demanded its closure, attempting to lock the office from outside.

CBI arrests two in Patna in NEET paper leak case

In its first arrests from Patna in the NEET-UG paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took Manish Prakash and Ashutosh Kumar into custody on Thursday. According to the agency, the accused played a crucial role in arranging to rent the Learn Boys Hostel and Play School in Patna’s Khemnichak locality, where the leaked question papers were allegedly distributed to the 20 to 25 candidates gathered there on the eve of the examination, so that they could memorise the answers overnight.

Plea in Supreme Court to stay implementation of new criminal laws

A petition was moved in the Supreme Court on June 27 seeking a stay on the implementation and operation of three new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, scheduled to come into effect from July 1.

Manipur BJP president meets Amit Shah for ‘permanent solution’ to conflict in State

The chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday urging “immediate attention to bring permanent solution and tranquillity to the State”. A. Sharda Devi met Mr. Shah for “an extensive discussion on the current situation in Manipur”. Her three-year tenure as party president ended on Thursday.

President Murmu flags NEET, Emergency in address to Parliament, says government fully committed to investigating ‘paper leaks’

In her first address to Parliament since the Lok Sabha election results were announced, President Droupadi Murmu asked MPs to rise above “partisan politics” with regard to the row over “paper leaks” in examinations for medical college admissions and government recruitment. The Union government is “fully committed” to investigating the issues and punishing the guilty, she said.

AAP MP’s suspension revoked, six new members take oath in Rajya Sabha

Six newly-elected members of Parliament from Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh took oath as members of the Rajya Sabha on June 27. The Upper House held its first setting after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha on Thursday and it was first day of the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha. 

Pro-Israel posters pasted, black ink thrown outside Owaisi’s residence in Delhi

A group of five men pasted posters outside the residence of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in New Delhi on Thursday evening, demanding his suspension from the Lok Sabha, officials said. According to a police officer, four-five men reached Mr. Owaisi’s 34 Ashoka Road residence located in Central Delhi and pasted three posters at the entry gate and wall of the house about 9 p.m.

17 people arrested in attempted coup that shook Bolivia, government says

Bolivia’s government on Thursday announced that a total of 17 people have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the attempted coup that shook the economically troubled country the day before.

Prague-to-Budapest train collides with a bus in Slovakia, killing 5 people and injuring 5

A train travelling from the Czech capital of Prague to the Hungarian capital of Budapest collided with a bus in southern Slovakia on Thursday, leaving at least five people dead and five injured, officials said.

RBI unveils revised Currency Swap Arrangement for SAARC countries

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on June 27 said it with the concurrence of the Government of India has decided to put in place a revised Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for SAARC countries for the period 2024 to 2027. Under this Framework, the Reserve Bank would enter into bilateral swap agreements with SAARC central banks, who want to avail of the swap facility. 

UltraTech Cement acquires 23% stake in India Cements

Aditya Birla Group’s UltraTech Cement Ltd. announced it was making a non-controlling financial investment to pick up 23% equity stake in India Cements Ltd (ICL). Block deal data showed UltraTech initially bought 6.02 crore ICL shares, or 19.4% stake. Earlier in the day, UltraTech’s Board approved the purchase of up to 7.06 crore equity shares of ICL at up to ₹267 apiece.

New Delhi:

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chided Congress member Deepender Hooda over certain remarks as Shashi Tharoor chanted ‘Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan (constitution)’ after taking oath as a member of the House.

“He is already taking oath on the Constitution,” Mr Birla commented when opposition members chanted ‘Jai Samvidhan’ as Mr Tharoor took oath as Lok Sabha member.

At this point, Mr Hooda, a member from Rohtak, said the Speaker should not be objecting to this.

“Don’t give me any advice on what I should or should not object to. Take your seat,” the Speaker said, addressing Mr Hooda.

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wondered whether one cannot say ‘Jai Samvidhan’ in Parliament.

“People from the ruling party were not stopped when they raised unparliamentary and unconstitutional slogans in Parliament, but when the opposition MPs raised ‘Jai Samvidhan’ slogans, they were objected to,” she said in a post on X.

“The anti-Constitution sentiment that emerged during the elections has now taken a new form, which seeks to weaken our Constitution,” Ms Gandhi said.

“Will the Constitution, on the basis of which Parliament functions, on which every member takes oath, which gives protection of life and livelihood, be opposed to suppress the voice of the opposition?” the Congress general secretary asked.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Student protests escalating across the country over alleged irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) and other competitive exams, the Opposition has said it would raise the issue in parliament tomorrow. The idea is to corner the government, even though the day is dedicated to a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to President’s address to parliament. Projecting confidence, sources told NDTV that the government is ready to answer any questions on the matter even if it comes up during the debate.

Every possible action has been taken on the NEET issue, from starting a Central Bureau of Investigation probe to forming a special committee to look into it, government sources said. The committee report is expected soon. Also, the stringent rules against cheating and paper leak coming into effect in this session, strong action will be taken against the culprits and foundation would be laid for a robust education system, they said.

In case the matter comes up tomorrow, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan will respond to it, sources said. Mr Pradhan was booed by the Opposition over the NEET row when he took oath in parliament on Monday.

The massive row over NEET also came up in President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of parliament today. The government, President Murmu said, is “committed to a fair investigation”.

The Opposition decision to raise NEET before any other issue was taken at a meeting this evening amid massive public anger. Since June 4, when the results were declared, protests and demonstrations have swept the country over allegations of paper leak and preferential marking.

This afternoon, the Congress student wing NSUI barged into the office of the NTA (National Testing agency) which conducts the NEET exam, demanding that it be shut down. The protest came shortly after the Youth Congress held a protest near Parliament.

The NEET results coinciding with the results of the general election, the protests and allegations gave the rejuvenated opposition its first opportunity to target the BJP-led government at the beginning of its third term.

Congress’s Rahul Gandhi contended that the BJP-ruled states have become the “epicentre of paper leak”, pointing to the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago, that involved massive irregularities in the entrance exams for government jobs. From there, it has spread to all BJP-ruled states, he said in a reference to the paper leak in the Uttar Pradesh Police Constable exam.

The government retaliated with allegations of a nexus between key INDIA ally Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav and the accused arrested in Bihar in the paper leak case. The RJD has denied the claim.

New Delhi:

President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of Parliament today. In her address President assured the nation that in the upcoming Parliament sessions, major economic and social decisions, and historical steps will be announced during the Union Budget.

Congratulating the new MPs in her first address to the joint sitting of Parliament after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha, President Murmu said she hoped they would act as the medium for fulfilling the aspirations of the people of India.

Here is the full text of President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the Parliament:

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and MP from Kota, Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha after the motion for the same was moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The motion was adopted by the house through a voice vote.

This is the first Lok Sabha session post-general elections in which the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) bagged 293 seats while the INDIA bloc secured 234 seats. The BJP, however, couldn’t reach a majority on its own, as it secured the win in only 240 seats.