Insurance Bill likely to run into rough weather

The Insurance Bill that the Bharatiya Janata Party government had announced would be passed in the winter session of Parliament has run into rough weather.  

With Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra as the lone BJP member in the standing committee and the Shiv Sena taking a stand that it would oppose the BJP government on every front, the passing of the bill seems shaky.

It seems difficult for the standing committee to give its report and for the government to pass the bill in the winter session. The ruling BJP is looking around for support and has approached parties like the Biju Janata Dal and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to get the required numbers.

While the AIADMK have accepted the position of deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha, sources say equations between the two parties has changed after Jayalalithaa's conviction in the disproportionate assets case.

The Congress is planning to call a meeting of all secular parties before the winter session, which begins on November 24, and hold talks on better floor co-ordination to take on the BJP and its allies in the NDA.