Bhubaneswar: With only one day left for the beginning of the monsoon session of the State Assembly, Opposition BJP and Congress have planned to take up various issues to corner the government while the ruling BJD has prepared with a counter-strategy.
The opposition parties have planned to raise issues including drought like situation in the state, Mahanga double murder, law & order problem, irregularities in Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) and farmers’ issue during the nine-day session. The BJD has planned to raise OBC reservation issue, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) and delay in release of paddy procurement dues to state, among others.
“The JMFC court has directed to probe involvement of law minister Pratap Jena on Mahanga double murder case. It is a very big issue. We will raise this during the session,” said BJP MLA Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra. Besides, the BJP will raise the law and order problem in the state, he said.
Similarly, Congress leader Santhosh Singh Saluja said his party members will raise the Mahanga double murder case, drought situation and corruption in OSSC during the session.
BJD’s Amar Prasad Satpathy said, “Our earlier experience says the opposition is giving too much emphasis on how to stall the house proceedings. I hope this time they will discuss the public issues on the floor of the house and the government will reply them.”
All three major political parties—BJD, BJP and Congress have called their legislature party meetings Tuesday to prepare a detailed blueprint for the session.
The monsoon session will commence from September 1 and conclude September 9 amid Covid restrictions. The session will have eight working days. The house will not sit on Sunday. September 3 has been reserved for private members’ business while other days are kept for official business.
The house will sit every day from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm in the pre-lunch session and from 4 pm to 6 pm in the post-lunch session except on inaugural day. On inaugural day, the house will start from 11 am.
MLAs can attend the proceedings through video conferencing from OCAC building, Lok Seva Bhawan and other feasible places.
PNN