Opposition plans to corner Odisha govt in budget session

BHUBANESWAR: BJP and Congress have geared up to corner the state government on various issues in the budget session of the assembly starting Tuesday even as speaker S N Patro on Monday convened an all-party meeting seeking cooperation of the opposition for smooth running of the house.
Government chief whip Pramila Mallick, finance minister Niranjan Pujari, BJD MLAs Debi Prasad Mishra, Pranab Prakash Das, BJP MLAs Jayanarayan Mishra and Pradipta Naik and Congress MLA Narasingha Mishra attended the meeting.
“The aim of the meeting was to ensure that we have a productive session in people’s interest. It was held on a very cordial note,” Patro told reporters here. “The opposition demanded two adjournment motions every day instead of one as has been the prevalent practice so that more issues can be highlighted. I will examine the suggestion,” Patro said.
On the opening day of the session, governor Ganeshi Lal will address the Vidhan Sabha. The finance minister will present the budget on June 28.
Though the opposition welcomed the all-party meeting, a first in many years before the session, they said they are ready with people’s issues to confront the government.
BJP’s Jayanarayan Mishra said issues such as slow pace of restoration works of damages caused by Cyclone Fani, ‘worsening’ law and order situation and farmers’ plights due to distress sale of paddy will be among many such issues his party will raise.
The BJP with 23 MLAs in the 147-member house (current strength 145) is the principal opposition party. Similarly the Congress, which has nine MLAs, has been planning to raise the issue of BJP-BJD “togetherness” in the assembly. “Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said BJP has done an open arrangement with the BJD for getting a Rajya Sabha member in Odisha. Such deals are not made between two political rivals. BJP should explain the deal in detail. We will raise this issue in the house,” Narasingha Mishra said.
BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra said his party is ready to discuss all issues connected with people’s welfare.