BHUBANESWAR: Amidst talks of a deal following the BJD’s support to the Rajya Sabha candidate of the BJP, the 30 days long first session of the 16th Assembly, to commence from Tuesday, will pass the annual budget of the state for 2019-20 and several other important bills.
The stand to be taken by the BJP is being keenly watched by political observers after its growing bonhomie with the ruling BJD in Odisha which started with the regional outfit endorsing the NDA’s Speaker candidate in Lok Sabha and ended with its support for the saffron party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, however, said the BJD is open to all discussions on matters regarding Odisha.
“We look forward to the cooperation of the Centre and follow up on our promises made to the people in the election manifesto,” he told media persons after the meeting of the BJD legislature party.
Congress veteran and former leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra said because of mutual understanding between BJD and BJP, the Congress will have to play the role of the main opposition despite having less number in the Assembly.
Despite having more number, the BJP may fail to take up the responsibility of main opposition in the Assembly because of its pact with the ruling BJD, Mishra said and added that the Congress will raise several issues in the House.
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The Congress will raise issues of unemployment, crop damage due to Norwester and other problems faced by farmers, he said.
However, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan rubbished the talks of secret deal between the BJP and the BJD saying mutual understanding is needed in a democracy.
The BJD also dismissed the allegation of secret pact with BJP. Responding to Mishra, former finance minister Sashi Bhusan Behera said there is no secret deal between the BJD and BJP.
“There is no secret deal between BJP and BJD; there should be no politics over constitutional posts and it seems the Congress is thinking too much about BJD,” he said and added that the party should instead find out why it slumped to the third position in the recently held Assembly elections.
The budget session of the Assembly beginning from June 25 will be held in two phases.
The first phase will be from June 25 to July 3 while the second phase will be from July 12 to August 8. Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari will place the budget for 2019-20 on June 28.