The monsoon session of Parliament has begun, but the heat of the summer of 2024 will continue as the opposition benches are full in this parliamentary session.

In such a situation, Kiren Rijiju may have a lot of work, as he will have to take charge of the nodal ministry for the smooth functioning of the legislative work of the government.

He will have to coordinate not only with various ministries and departments but also with various parties in the opposition, which have returned with better numbers than before.

Its thumping majority in the Lok Sabha in the first two terms enabled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to overcome opposition protests on controversial issues and bills. However, in its third term, the government will have to take into account not only opposition opinion but also the interests of its unpredictable allies, especially the JD(U) and the TDP, on whom it depends for survival.

In this changed scenario, the job of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister will be to build consensus and ensure that Parliament does what it is mandated to do—discuss, debate and legislate—without any deadlock.

The ministry’s first challenge should come soon, in the upcoming budget session, as opposition parties prepare to demand a joint parliamentary committee probe into allegations of a stock market “scam” that the Congress claims involves the prime minister and the Union home minister. Expect plenty of excitement and a task for Rijiju that will require his best reconciliation skills.

What needs to be done

Consensus Building: The productivity of Parliament should be increased by creating a healthy dialogue between the government and the opposition

Dialogue of Reconciliation: In the last two Lok Sabha terms, only a handful of bills were sent to standing committees. This approach must be reversed to build consensus

Kiren Rijiju, 52: BJP Parliamentary Affairs Minister

Political background: Born in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju obtained BA and LLB degrees from Delhi University. His father Rinchin Kharu was the first pro tem speaker of the state

Rise in the last decade: Rijiju has emerged as one of the most prominent leaders from the Northeast on the national stage. The four-time MP started out as the Minister of State for Home in 2014 before assuming the role of Sports Minister. Kiren shot to fame when he was made the Law Minister in 2021, though he lost the post of MoS within two years.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, 70 years: BJP

Also, Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Justice

l. Murugan, 47 years: BJP

Dakshinayan: Born in Tamil Nadu to Telugu-speaking farmer parents, he was an active member of the ABVP. The Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh is the Dalit face of the BJP in his state