Winter session likely to be stormy

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Bhubaneswar: The winter session of the Assembly beginning Friday is likely to be stormy with two Opposition parties keen on raking up farmers’ issue while the ruling BJD is all set to raise Odisha’s longstanding demand for special category status. The winter session will have 23 working days and conclude December 15.
As the general and Assembly elections are round the corner, the ruling party has planned to attack the BJP-led Union government with its demand for special category status (SCS) to Odisha even inside the House.
The party has decided to raise issues of Central neglect to state and soaring fuel prices among others, said BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after chairing the BJD Legislature Party meeting on the Assembly precincts.
“We had a meeting of BJD legislators and ministers. We discussed matters we plan to bring up during the Assembly session such as the Centre’s failure to sanction SCS to Odisha among a host of issues,” Naveen told reporters.
As the Congress and BJP have lined up issues to take on the BJD during the session, the Chief Minister said his party is prepared to discuss with the Opposition members on various issues.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha slammed the Centre for not providing adequate financial help to take up relief and restoration works after cyclone Titli and subsequent floods created havoc in Ganjam and Gajapati districts.
Arukh said, “We will seek hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy, Centre’s inaction over Polavaram and Mahanadi projects and cuts in grants for Odisha under Centrally sponsored schemes.”
The state government has also planned to pass several legislations, he said, without revealing the bills it may introduce.
Congress and saffron parties have planned to raise issues like farmers’ agitation, suicides, drought, mismanagement of cyclone Titli relief, delay in appointment of Lokayukta, PC culture and general law and order situation.
The Congress Legislature Party which met here under the chairmanship of LoP Narasingha Mishra has prepared its strategy for the session.
“The state government has failed to resolve farmers’ issue and tried to suppress their agitation. The government’s resources are being misutilised in Biju Yuva Bahini matters. We would raise all these issues,” said MLA Anshuman Mohanty (Cong).
The BJP legislators will discuss their strategy for the session Friday. The party, according to sources, has planned to target the BJD government over farmers’ issue.