Parliamentary reshuffle: In a major reshuffle, the Indian Parliament has reorganized its standing committees, appointing key figures from various political parties to pivotal roles. A total of 24 committees have been restructured, with significant assignments given to leaders across party lines.Rahul Gandhi joins defence affairs committeeCongress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been appointed to the Defence Affairs Committee. The committee will be chaired by BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh. This marks an important role for Gandhi, given his longstanding interest in national security and defence matters.Kangana Ranaut enters parliamentary roleIn a noteworthy development, actress-turned-politician and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has been assigned to the Communications and IT Committee. This is her first official role in parliamentary matters, joining a panel chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Her appointment highlights her growing influence within the party and her potential role in shaping policy in this crucial sector.Other key appointmentsSenior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has been appointed to lead the Parliamentary Committee on Women, Education, Youth, and Sports Affairs, while Samajwadi Partys Ram Gopal Yadav will chair the Health Affairs Committee. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will lead the Foreign Affairs Committee, working alongside BJP MP and actor Arun Govil, known for his portrayal of Lord Ram.BJP leaders have also taken key roles, with Radha Mohan Das Agarwal heading the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs and Bhartruhari Mahtab chairing the Finance Committee. CM Ramesh will lead the Railways Committee, and former minister Anurag Thakur will chair the panel on Coal, Mines, and Steel.Absence of Sonia GandhiOne notable absence from the list of new committee leaders is UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. However, several other Congress leaders, including Charanjit Singh Channi and Saptagiri Ulaka, have been appointed to head committees related to Agriculture and Rural Development, respectively.BJP Allies gain influenceSeveral of the BJPs key allies have also secured prominent committee roles. Sunil Tatkare of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will head the Petroleum and Natural Gas Committee, while Shrirang Appa Barne of Shiv Sena will lead the Energy Committee. JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha will chair the Transport, Tourism, and Culture Committee, and TDPs Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy has been assigned the Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.DMK leaders take key positionsDMK leaders Tiruchi Siva and K Kanimozhi have been appointed to chair the Industry Committee and the Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Committee, respectively.Rajiv Pratap Rudy to lead water resources committeeFormer Union Minister and BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy has been selected to chair the Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources, adding another significant name to the list of committee heads.What is a Standing CommitteeStanding committees play a critical role in overseeing the functioning of various Union ministries. These committees are tasked with scrutinizing budget allocations, reviewing legislation, and providing recommendations to the government on significant national issues. They also play an advisory role in shaping new policies and introducing legislation.
