PM to reply on President’s address in Lok Sabha today; BJP issues whip in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, February 7

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply this week to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on President’s address, the ruling BJP has issued a whip in Rajya Sabha asking all MPs to be present and issued instruction in Lok Sabha for the majority of MPs to be present.

The PM will reply to the debate in Lok Sabha on Monday and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

As many as 98 amendments to the President’s address are learnt to have been moved in Lok Sabha, where the BJP has directed most of its MPs to be present.

No general whip has been issued in Lok Sabha as some MPs are on election-related duties and the BJP has a comfortable majority in the House to get adequate support during voting on the motion after the PM’s reply on Monday.

In Rajya Sabha though, the BJP has issued a whip to all MPs to be present for the PM’s reply scheduled for Tuesday.

Earlier this week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while opening the debate on the President’s address from the opposition side, had accused the government of fostering two Indias — one for the rich and one for the poor. Without naming the PM, Gandhi had said that the “idea of king was back”.

Debate on the President’s address is one of the two principal agendas – apart from discussion on the Union Budget – in the first half of the Budget Session ending February 11.