Land bill protest: 'Janata Parivar' parties not to play second

Unhappy with Congress over its attempt to "corner" all the credit for the land bill protests after they played a "key role" in uniting opposition, 'Janata Parivar' leaders have indicated that they will chalk out a separate strategy in and outside Parliament.
Janata Parivar, whose merger is likely to be announced in a meeting of its six constituents tomorrow, leaders said they were the binding force in bringing 14 opposition parties together in a march to Rashtrapati Bhawan against the bill but Congress has since then tried to appropriate all credit.
Once the formalities of the merger of their parties were over, the new outfit may launch its own programme against the bill, a senior 'Janata Parivar' leader said.

The Narendra Modi government has already promulgated an ordinance and will seeks its approval by Parliament once it reconvenes for Budget Session next week.
"We reached out to various parties and rallied them around against the bill. Congress would not be able to do it alone as many of these parties are wary of working in tandem with it after its drubbing in several polls," he said.
He, however, added that they were not averse to working with Congress but would not play second fiddle to it.

In the first display of unity of opposition against the Modi government, leaders of 14 political parties led by Congress President Sonia Gandhi had marched from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhavan against the land acquisition bill on March 17 during the Budget session. Over 100 MPs had taken part in it.

Since then, Congress has held solo protests and organised a farmer's rally on April 19 against the bill, a day before the Lok Sabha meets again for the second leg of the Budget session.
Janata Parivar with its 30 members in Rajya Sabha will emerge as the second biggest opposition party after Congress and be a key to the larger opposition unity against the treasury benches, which are in a big minority in the Upper House.
"We will not play second fiddle to Congress. We will have our own strategy on the issue of land bill," another leader said, adding that they will chalk out a concrete programme only after the merger of six parties.