The Winter Session of Parliament commences today in the national capital in the backdrop of the just-concluded Assembly elections in Gujarat and last month`s Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.

To last for 14 days, the ensuing session is likely to clear 25 existing Bills and 14 new Bills during this period. Opposition parties led by the Congress have devised plans to raise issues such as Rafale aircraft procurement and other issues to make things tough for the ruling BJP. Winter Session usually commences in mid-November but was postponed this time in view of the Haryana and Gujarat Assembly polls.

Opposition parties protested against the postponement but the Centre explained that it wasn`t unusual for sessions of Parliament getting postponed. The Winter Session which commences today would conclude on 05th January with 14 working days. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan held consultations with leaders of ruling and opposition parties to ensure smooth conduct of business during the ensuing session.

In the meantime, the Congress party held consultations with other opposition parties on how to coordinate raising issues during the Session. Held in the chamber of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress floor leader in Rajya Sabha, the meeting was attended by MPs belonging to Congress, NCP, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Communist parties.

Rafale aircraft deal, GST, farmers` issues and misuse of central investigating agencies would be the major issues to be raised by opposition parties. After paying homage to deceased MPs, the Parliament would reconvene on Monday (18th December) when the results of Assembly elections held in Gujarat and Haryana would be out.