Congress awaiting response from secular parties

With the budget session approaching, Congress is still awaiting a response to its appeal for cooperation among the "progressive and secular forces" to present a united opposition in Parliament.
"We have made an appeal. Now we are awaiting the response", a senior Congress leader said today when asked whether there are any plans in the party to join hands with non-BJP and non-NDA parties for ensuring an effective opposition.
The leader, who declined to be identified, said there was
no question of "begging" for the Leader of the Opposition post for the party in the Lok Sabha that appears dim in the wake of its getting only 44 seats against the 55 seats.

A resolution passed by the Congress Parliamentary Party on May 24 reached out to "progressive and secular forces" in a bid to bring together the opposition for which Congress said it will extend its cooperation.
The resolution had expressed the hope that "all progressive and secular forces in Parliament will coordinate their strategies effectively so as to present a united and cohesive opposition which is the life-blood of any democracy."

While the BJP has a majority on its own and has more numbers with the allies, a weak presence in the Rajya Sabha has forced the NDA to try and rope in 'weak links' in the Opposition ranks to pass key legislation in the Upper House.

Modi is said to have reached out to two regional parties--J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK and the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal--which had been BJP allies in the past.
With 338 members, the BJP-led NDA is comfortably placed in the Lok Sabha but may face problems in passing key legislations in the Rajya Sabha, where it does not enjoy a majority.