Parties gear up for monsoon session of the assembly

BHUBANESWAR: Battle lines are drawn by all three major political parties as the monsoon session of the state assembly set to begin from Thursday.
Apprehending criticism from the opposition benches, the treasury bench has discussed strategies to counter the opposition attack. In its legislature party meeting led by chief minister Naveen Patnaik here, the ruling party decided to raise the issue like central neglect to Odisha on different aspects, Mahanadi issue, low increase in minimum support price (MSP) of paddy Centre's failure to check price rise of essential commodities.
"The government would take up all important works concerning the state's interest and also constructive discussions that the opposition would raise to debate," Naveen told reporters after meeting his MLAs.
Informing more on Naveen's meeting with BJD MLAs, parliamentary affairs minister Bikram Keshari Arukh said the chief minister has asked the MLAs to highlight the welfare programs of the state government both inside and outside the house.
Highlighting about the session, Arukh said of total eight days, there would be six days for conducting official business while two days has been earmarked as private members days.
"Total nine bills including three ordinance replacing bills would be tabled during the short session. The government is also ready to take up all other crucial issues to be raised by the opposition parties," the parliamentary affairs minister said.
Though the Congress legislature party that concluded by only paying tribute to their colleague form Bijepur Subala Sahu, who died on August 22, leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra lashed out at the Centre over its failure on demonisation and its negative impact on the society, its failure to uphold election promises and low hike in the minimum support price of paddy.
The party also slammed the state government over the teachers' issue. It would finalise detail strategy in another meeting before beginning of the session.
An aggressive BJP has also lined up an array of issues to nail the state government in the brief eight-day session, main opposition Congress has also chalked out its strategy targeting both the state and central government over several issues.
Discrepancies in issuing demand notices to mining lease holders allegedly violating the Supreme Court order, irregularities in BJD poll funding, farmers issues and drinking water problems are among the key issues which the BJP has planned to raise in the session, party president Basanta Panda told reporters here. The eight-day session would continue till September 16.