The Monsoon Session of Parliament is set for a stormy start on Monday, with the Opposition preparing to corner the government on a host of issues, ranging from exam paper leaks and activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike to the theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, ethanol blending in fuel, and foreign policy.
The session is also opening against a changed political backdrop. Since both Houses of Parliament last met in April, at least 37 MPs from four Opposition parties have shifted to the BJP-led NDA, altering the balance in Parliament and strengthening the government's legislative calculations. The defections have brought the ruling alliance closer to the special majority mark of 360 in the Lok Sabha, required to pass Constitutional Amendment Bills, including those on One Nation, One Election and delimitation.
These defections come at a time when the government is considering reintroducing the legislative package linked to the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, along with a proposal to increase the strength of Parliament and state legislatures through delimitation. The government's earlier attempt failed to secure the required support in the Lok Sabha in April.
While the splits in Opposition parties have strengthened the ruling alliance’s position, they have also deepened acrimony and rancour within the Opposition.
The DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party, which have not been attending INDIA bloc meetings, were among those that joined the walkout.
According to sources, the Lok Sabha Speaker is expected to decide before proceedings begin on Monday on the merger of 20 rebel TMC MPs with the NCPI. The government's decision to treat the factions separately at the all-party meeting triggered protests from the Opposition, with several parties briefly walking out of the meeting on Sunday before returning.
Alongside the dispute over the rebel Trinamool Congress faction, Parliament is also set to open amid a row over the government's move to break up activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
The issue is expected to resonate in both Houses, especially with a march to Parliament scheduled for Monday by the Cockroach Janta Party. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has slammed the government's action, days after Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi urged party leaders to raise their voice in support of Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike since June 28 demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar also termed the government's move "irresponsible", even as speculation continues over a possible merger of his party with the NDA ally NCP.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh has moved a Rule 267 suspension notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking an immediate discussion on the NEET-UG paper leak, activist Sonam Wangchuk's declining health, and his demands.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. The existing law makes the desecration of or disrespect towards national symbols -- including the national flag, the Constitution, and the national anthem -- a criminal offence punishable with up to three years' imprisonment. The amendment seeks to extend the same statutory protection currently accorded to the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, to Vande Mataram.
All in all, with the numbers in Parliament having shifted and political tensions running high, the three-week Monsoon Session is expected to witness sharp confrontations over both legislation and accountability.
Whether the government can translate its improved arithmetic into legislative success, or the Opposition can force it onto the defensive on issues ranging from governance to federalism, will shape the course of the session in the days ahead.
