Centre convenes all-party meeting ahead of interim budget session of Parliament

The budget session will begin on Wednesday and will continue till February 9.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal, Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, V Muraleedharan.

Congress leaders Pramod Tiwari and K Suresh, TMC leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, JD(U) leaders Ram Nath Thakur, DMK leader T R Baalu, MDMK leader Vaiko, CPI(M) leader P R Natarajan, Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale, among others were present in the meeting.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Pralhad Joshi said the government is ready for discussion on all issues as per the direction of the Chair.

He urged the opposition parties to cooperate with the government to ensure the smooth conduct of businesses in both houses and avoid bringing placards.

The Minister informed that 45 leaders from 30 parties, including the ruling BJP, attended the meeting, adding that it was held in a conducive atmosphere.

The budget session will begin with President Droupadi Murmu's address to a joint sitting of the two houses on Wednesday.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim budget 2024-25 on Thursday. This will be the last budget before the Lok Sabha Election.

The Finance Minister will present the sixth Budget in a row, five annual budgets and one interim, a feat achieved so far only by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai.