Government and Opposition remain deadlocked after meeting between Kiren Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday in an attempt to end the ongoing parliamentary stalemate during the Monsoon Session. During the meeting, which lasted between 40 and 50 minutes, Rijiju sought the Opposition's cooperation to pass key legislation, including the Delimitation Bill and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill. The government requires a two-thirds majority to pass the delimitation bill, which proposes expanding the Lok Sabha from 543 to approximately 850 seats.

Despite the outreach, the deadlock continues as the Congress party reiterated its demands. The Opposition is seeking a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding alleged police excesses against protesting students and a discussion on alleged theft of Ram Temple donations. While the government described the meeting as a courtesy call, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal stated that Rijiju arrived with the Prime Minister's agenda. Congress leadership indicated they are opposed to delimitation at this time but plan to consult other Opposition parties, including the DMK, to firm up a joint position.

There is speculation that the government may convene a special session after Independence Day to consider the pending bills, though Congress insiders claim no such plans were conveyed during the meeting. A BJP leader attributed the logjam to the Opposition stalling Parliament and frequently changing their demands. The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, has been largely washed out by repeated disruptions and adjournments.