Ahead of monsoon session, PM Modi asks NDA leaders to work in coordination as allies table their issues

COVID-19 vaccine supply, OBC reservation in NEET, and the Naga peace accord were among those issues raised by the National Democratic Alliance allies at the NDA Floor leaders meeting on Sunday ahead of the Parliament Monsoon Session which is scheduled to begin from Monday.

According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked leaders to work in coordination and put forward points for better dialogue and discussions in the house.

Besides PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and his two Ministers of State Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muraleedharan attended the meeting.

Besides AIADMK and Apna Dal, among those from NDA constituents who attended the meeting include Janata Dal-United leader Ram Nath Thakur, Republican Party of India's Ramdas Athawale and Lok Janshakti Party's Pashupati Nath Paras.

Apna Dal leader and now Union Minister Anupriya Patel demanded a discussion on teachers recruitment and OBC quota in NEET, while AIADMK MP Navaneethakrishnan demanded more COVID-19 vaccines doses for the state, sources said.

After the meeting, Dr Lorho S Pfoze from the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) Pfoze said that he had taken up the issue of the Naga peace accord in the meet.

"We support the NDA and BJP particularly because of the leadership at the Centre. In Mpur, we are doing well as a coalition partner. Now we have raised the issue of the Naga peace process. It has been 26 years now and the process is going on for such a long long time," he told .

The MP further said, "There have been hiccups, sometimes talks are stalled. The appeal we make to the government is to resolve it the earliest. Governments have tried to deal with it militarily. Even the army general said it can't be dealt militarily."

He further said, "Naga groups believe that the government is approaching this as a law and order issue. I hope it is not so. It is a commitment of the Prime Minister and we hope it is solved in the coming days. India has got intelligence agencies and they can find out a solution. Issue the constitution and flag are very tricky and controversial but the government can come up with an agreeable, honourable solution for all parties," Pfoze stated.

The monsoon session will conclude on August 13.

( With inputs from ANI )