BHUBANESWAR: An all-party meeting was held at the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday ahead of the Monsoon Session, with Speaker Surama Padhy seeking the cooperation of all political parties for the smooth functioning of the House.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, parliamentary affairs minister Mukesh Mahaling, Government chief whip Saroj Pradhan, Deputy Leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya, Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik, Deputy chief whip Pratap Deb and Congress MLA Ashok Das attended the meeting.
The Monsoon Session is scheduled to begin on September 22 and continue till October 3.
The Speaker discussed the proposed conduct of the session with leaders of the ruling BJP, Opposition BJD and Congress and sought their cooperation in ensuring that Assembly proceedings are conducted without disruption.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling said six bills are expected to be introduced during the session. He added that issues concerning the interests of Odisha, including the controversial amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, could be discussed in the House, subject to the Speaker’s decision and the applicable rules of procedure.
“An all-party meeting was held, which was attended by members of the BJD, Congress and BJP. The discussions primarily focused on the smooth functioning of the Assembly and how the session from September 22 to October 3 would be conducted,” Mahaling said.
However, the Opposition is preparing to use the session to raise several issues concerning the State and question the government on matters it considers important.
BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallik said her party has demanded a detailed discussion on the MMDR issue and would take further decisions in accordance with the party’s strategy.
“On behalf of the BJD, we have demanded a detailed discussion on Odisha’s losses due to the amended MMDR Bill. We have submitted a motion and urged the Speaker to take it up, or allow a discussion through a motion of thanks, so that all MLAs can speak on the issue. The Speaker has said she will consider our demand,” Mallik said.
She also indicated that the BJD would take a decision on extending cooperation for the smooth functioning of the House based on the party’s discussions and strategy.
With the Opposition planning to raise the MMDR issue and other matters affecting the State, the nine-day session is expected to witness heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the Opposition.
The focus will now be on how the government and Opposition parties balance political differences with the Speaker’s appeal for orderly and productive proceedings during the session.
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