Overview
- Parliament opened its monsoon session with a new balance of power that observers say will test both the government and a now-fractured Opposition.
- In April the Opposition united to deny the government the two-thirds Lok Sabha majority needed to pass a contested constitution amendment bill.
- Since then the BJP’s victory in West Bengal has weakened the Trinamool Congress and six MPs have defected from Shiv Sena (UBT), shifting seat math on the floor.
- Hindustan Times and other reports say the government may feel emboldened to reintroduce the previously blocked amendment, though that step has not been confirmed.
- The developments raise questions about the anti-defection law and Parliament’s role as a check on the executive, with possible effects on how closely representatives answer to voters.