Looking ahead

President points to the Budget for explicit policy agenda

Presidential addresses to Parliament ahead of a new Lok Sabha session are more than a constitutional routine because they usually outline the policies and plans of the government for the five years ahead. President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the first joint session of Parliament after the 18th Lok Sabha met for the first time was considered significant on several counts. It took place against the backdrop of a third prime ministerial term for Narendra Modi, but one in which the allies under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will play a bigger role in a coalition government for