CM-Oppn Leader ‘secret pact’ rocks Odisha Assembly 

Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat had convened an all party meeting to resolve the issue. However, he had to adjourn the House till 3 pm as the all party meeting failed.
BJP MLAs staging dharna on Assembly premises on Tuesday | Express
BJP MLAs staging dharna on Assembly premises on Tuesday | Express

BHUBANESWAR:  The Assembly on Tuesday witnessed noisy scenes as BJP members demonstrated in the well of the House alleging a secret pact between Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. BJP members rushed to the well as soon as the House assembled for the day raising slogans against the CM and Opposition Leader. Holding placards and banners, they also sat on a dharna outside the Assembly over the issue.

Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat had convened an all-party meeting to resolve the issue. However, he had to adjourn the House till 3 pm as the all-party meeting failed. The House was adjourned several times during the afternoon session as the issue could not be resolved. Making a statement in the House, the Opposition Leader said, “This is something like Chor Machaye Shor (thief raising a hue and cry).” People know about BJP’s tacit understanding with the BJD, he said. “President of which party had called the Chief Minister seeking his help in Presidential polls?” Mishra asked and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also called Naveen and sought his help. 

When BJP MLAs had brought corruption charges against the Chief Minister, the Union Home Minister had given him a certificate and described him as honest. There are several instances when Congress members raised corruption issues including the chit fund scam against the Chief Minister and the State Government but BJP members remained silent, he said.

Mishra said the Congress president never called the Chief Minister and sought his cooperation on any issue. “People living in glass houses should not throw stones at others,” he said.
However, Leader of BJP Legislature Party KV Singhdeo said Congress members deliberately create a ruckus whenever the BJP wants to raise an important issue in the House.

“Yesterday, we had decided to raise the issue relating to the felling of trees for a beer bottling plant in Dhenkanal district. But the BJD members, in order to divert the attention of the House, had come up with a letter related to the slashing of post-matric scholarship fund for Scheduled Caste students by the Centre. To stall the House proceedings, Congress members also rushed to the well, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till 3 pm,” Singhdeo said and added that there are several instances in the past which prove a secret alliance exists between Congress and BJD.

Coming down heavily on the saffron party, Sanjay Dasburma (BJD) said BJP members have no moral right to make any statement on issues relating to the interest of the State. Their attitude is a threat to democracy, he added.

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