Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD in Odisha has said its MLAs would not participate in the two-day orientation programme of the assembly Saturday and Sunday.
In a letter to Speaker Surama Padhy, BJD’s chief whip Pramila Mallik said inviting central ministers to inaugurate the programme and address the MLAs goes against the established conventions of dignity of the assembly.
As per the schedule, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the programme, and Union Health Minister J P Nadda will address the valedictory session.
“While we will have been normally delighted to attend and cooperate with you in the spirit of best legislative traditions, we have decided not to participate on account of our conscious objections,” she said Thursday.
“It is undignified to make the Hon’ble CM an ordinary speaker at the function within the assembly premises. Relegating the state chief minister to a second category functionary in a function within the assembly premises undermines the state and the pre-eminence of the state as recognised in our federal set-up,” she said.
The BJD has 51 legislators in the 147-member assembly.