“Foreign policy mortgaged under BJP:” SP MP Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP ahead Parliament session

New Delhi : Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP for its management of foreign policy ahead of the INDIA bloc floor leaders’ meeting on Monday.
Discussing the agenda of the INDIA bloc floor leaders’ meeting, the Samajwadi Party MP alleged that India’s foreign policy under the BJP has been ‘mortgaged.’ Highlighting the impact of rising inflation, he further claimed that many Indians stranded in the Middle East were unable to celebrate festivals due to the ongoing crisis.
“Our foreign policy, under the Bharatiya Janata Party government, has been mortgaged and the way inflation is increasing, many of our Indian citizens who are stuck there, could not celebrate many festivals… After all, what is the Indian government doing?…there will be a meeting of the floor leaders. I think many things will be decided in that,” Yadav told reporters.
He further stated that the INDIA bloc floor leaders are meeting to finalise their strategy on how to proceed with the resolution seeking the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
“There will be a meeting of the floor leaders, in which it will be decided how to proceed further,” added Yadav.
Other opposition leaders also criticised the BJP’s handling of foreign policy. Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, while commenting on the External Affairs Minister’s upcoming statement in Parliament on the situation in West Asia, alleged that the ruling government is consistently reluctant to provide clarifications on foreign policy matters.
Yadav asserted that merely having the minister make a statement would make no significant difference in addressing the core concerns of the Opposition.
“The tradition has been that when the government makes a statement in the House, the Opposition has the right to ask for clarifications. But this govt never agrees to give any clarifications. Hence, making such a statement makes no difference,” Yadav told reporters.
Commenting on the resolution for the removal of Speaker Om Birla, the Samajwadi Party MP stated the party would reserve its further comments until the matter is officially taken up on the floor of the House.
“Let the no-confidence motion come in Lok Sabha. Then, we will say something,” said Yadav.
Meanwhile, the second phase of the Budget Session of Parliament is set to commence on March 9, 2026. Ahead of this, opposition parties are organising strategy meetings to coordinate their approach for the floor of the House.
The meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc floor leaders is set to be held at same day in the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) office in Parliament.
The meetings will focus on strengthening internal communication, coordinating floor strategies across both Houses, and preparing for issues to be raised during sessions.
The 2026 Parliament Budget Session, which commenced on January 28 with the President’s address to a joint sitting of both Houses, is scheduled to span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2.
The first phase of the session, which ended on February 13, was marked by intense political debate over the India-US interim trade deal and the controversial memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane, whose publishing status remained a point of contention even outside parliamentary proceedings. The second phase resumes today and will run through April 2, with the agenda primarily focused on the scrutiny of Demands for Grants and the passage of essential legislative business.