The Monsoon Session of Parliament begins today and will continue till seventh of next month. There will be 20 sittings of 120 hours. Our correspondent reports that issues like Pune serial blast, Grid failure, Ethnic violence in Assam, Flash Floods in Himalayan Region are likely to figure prominently during the discussions.

With almost 36 bills pending for passage and a unanimous demand for more working hours, a lot of heat and dust is likely to be generated over issues like price rise, Economy and riots in Assam.

The situation in Assam which the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has dubbed as a blot on the nation, is likely to witness charges and countercharges between the Congress and the opposition as also the death of Amarnath Pilgrims.

A spate of Railway accidents, including the one involving the Tamil Nadu Express, is expected to be utilised by a section of the opposition to drive a wedge in the ruling UPA as Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is in charge of the key ministry.

The focus will also turn to the drought situation amid demands for a national water policy and a better deal for farmers. The Left parties have taken up the issue of the Food Security bill in a big way. They are also expected to take up the killing of tribals in Chhattisgarh and the violence at the Maruti plant in Manesar. This is Manikant Thakur for AIR News , New Delhi.