Indian gov't convenes all party meeting ahead of monsoon session of parliament

NEW DELHI - The Indian government convened an all party meeting Tuesday to hold discussions with leaders of various political parties ahead of the upcoming monsoon session of parliament, officials said.

The meeting was aimed to seek opposition's support for smooth conduct of proceedings in both the houses of the parliament.

The monsoon session of parliament will begin on Wednesday and continue until Aug 10.

Officials said Speaker of Lok Sabha (lower house) Sumitra Mahajan will also hold discussions with the leaders of opposition parties in the evening to ensure smooth functioning of the session and passing of various pending bills.

"Speaker will seek the co-operation from the floor leaders of different political parties to ensure smooth transaction of business in the House," an official said.

Meanwhile, leaders of opposition parties met on Monday to formulate a joint strategy to corner the government on various issues during the upcoming session.

Following the meeting, a senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, told media that all parties which attended the meeting want to see both the houses run smoothly.

Previous session of the parliament in March witnessed massive disruptions and frequent adjournments.