PM Narendra Modi with BJP leaders after attending the parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi (Press Trust of India photo)
With key economic reforms not clearing Parliament in this winter session that ends today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged his party's lawmakers to ensure that the BJP is strengthened in states, which would allow more numbers in the Upper House or Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority.
Addressing BJP national lawmakers at the weekly Tuesday meeting that is held when Parliament is in session, Mr Modi said that the party must win more state elections which allot seats to the Rajya Sabha.
In the month-long winter session, a united opposition attacked the government over its alleged submission to a hardline right-wing agenda that includes the forced conversion of Christians and Muslims to Hinduism. While the government denied the charges, the opposition's protests ensured that the Rajya Sabha was paralyzed and two crucial bills to liberalize the insurance sector and overhaul the coal industry were not presented for discussion.
The lower house or Lok Sabha where the government is in a majority cleared the coal bill which is intended to replace an ordinance or executive order that sanctions an e-auction for nearly 200 coal mining licenses that were cancelled earlier this year by the Supreme Court. But the bill could not be introduced in the Rajya Sabha, where the opposition insisted it would not allow any business till the Prime Minister made a statement on the conversions issue - a request rejected by the government.
Now the government plans to issue an ordinance to increase the cap on foreign investment in the insurance sector from 26 to 49 per cent. For the coal industry, it will "re-promulgate" or reissue the coal ordinance.
While the BJP's strong performances in the elections in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir - results were counted today - are welcome news, the states do not contribute many legislators to the Upper House.