BJP's boycott of Himachal assembly continues

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Himachal Pradesh continued its boycott of the assembly session for the fourth consecutive day Wednesday.

"It's unfortunate that all members of the opposition have been boycotting the house for some time and they have been accusing the government of not resolving the stalemate," Revenue Minister Kaul Singh said after the question hour.

He said the government made a number of efforts to make the BJP members attend the house. "It's wrong to say that the government is not interested to end the deadlock."

The government taunted the BJP members and said that if they are busy in party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's Feb 16 rally in Sujanpur, they could join the session after the rally.

The minister said, "If they are busy in Modi's rally, they can come to the house from Feb 17 onwards."

Modi is holding a public rally in Sujanpur in Hamirpur district Feb 16.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was not in the house Wednesday as he was away to attend President Pranab Mukherjee's convocation address at the Central University at Shahpur in Kangra district.

Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal said Tuesday it was the responsibility of the chief minister to end the deadlock in the assembly.

Addressing reporters in Una town, he also blamed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Agnihotri for the stalemate.

Dhumal said the arrogant attitude and provocative language being used by the ruling party had resulted in the boycott.

Replying to the budget debate, Virbhadra Singh Tuesday said: "It's for the first time that the opposition has not only interrupted the governor's address but also boycotted the budget speech and discussions thereon."

He said: "It was a move to pressurize the government on the enquiries into acts of omission and commission and wrong doings in the previous BJP regime, those in HPCA (Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association) and other matters."

"No amount of this pressure tactics can deter us from the path of doing justice to the enquiries," he added.