Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Wednesday said it would not participate in the two-day orientation programme organised by the Odisha Assembly for the newly elected MLAs in Bhubaneswar if the schedule fixed for the event is not rectified.
The orientation programme has been fixed August 17 and 18.
The BJD, which has 51 members in the 147-seated Odisha Assembly, has taken a stand opposing the schedule fixed for the orientation programme.
As per the schedule, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the function while Union Health Minister JP Nadda will address the valedictory session.
Both leaders are not members of the House, said Pratap Keshari Deb, BJD deputy chief whip in Odisha Assembly Wednesday.
Usually either the Chief Minister, who is the Leader of the House or the Speaker becomes the chief guest of the inaugural and valedictory sessions.
This time, a serious exception in the tradition of the House has been made, Deb said.
“It seems like a BJP party programme. It is not proper that outsiders (non-members of the House) will address the Assembly programme when the Chief Minister and the Speaker are there,” the BJD leader said.
The dignity of the Speaker and CM should not be compromised, he said.
He appealed to the Speaker to refrain from such a move.
Otherwise, the BJD will not attend this programme, he said.
Another senior BJD MLA Ganeswar Behera said the programme has not only violated the tradition of the Odisha Assembly but also due respect has not been given to the Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik.
The orientation programme will be held in the Assembly premises to acquaint the MLAs with the rules and procedures relating to the business of the House, the functioning of various Committees, the budgetary process, the privileges & conduct of members and the use of the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), an Assembly official said.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, and former state ministers Prafulla Ghadai and Narasingha Mishra are also scheduled to address the new MLAs during the orientation programme.
Besides, senior MLAs would also take part in different sessions of the programme, he informed.
In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJP has 78 MLAs, BJD 51, Congress 14, three independents and one CPI (M). Among them, 82 are first-timers.
PTI