BHUBANESWAR: Opposition BJP leaders on Monday walked out from the all-party meeting convened by speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha, a day before the budget session of the Assembly, giving hints of a stormy start to the proceedings over several issues.
The BJP members walked out from the meeting demanding that no MLA should be allowed to participate in the proceedings in virtual mode. The target of the BJP members was Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who has mostly participated in the proceedings of the Assembly virtually during the post Covid-19 pandemic period.
“As the pandemic has subsided and restrictions have been withdrawn, there is no need to allow any member to participate in House proceedings through virtual mode,” leader of Opposition (LoP) Jaynarayan Mishra told mediapersons.
Stating that no state Assembly or Parliament now allows members to attend the House proceedings through virtual mode, Mishra said the Odisha Assembly should also follow the practice and ask all legislators to be physically present instead of attending from their homes.
The LoP said as the ruling party is not listening to the Opposition because of its majority in the House, the BJP members walked out from the meeting. Leader of the Congress legislature party Narasingha Mishra said his party is of the opinion that MLAs who are ill and indisposed should be allowed to participate in the House through virtual mode, but all others should attend the Assembly. “I am 83 years old and will attend the proceedings of the House in person. All members should attend the proceedings in person and exceptions should be there only for sick members,” he said.
He also objected to the convening of the all-party meeting by the speaker. The meeting should be convened by the leader of the House (chief minister) and not the speaker, he said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Niranjan Pujari said the meeting passed off smoothly. Of the 16-point agenda, agreement was reached on 15 of them while there was a difference of opinion on one issue concerning allowing members to attend the proceedings virtually.