Odisha assembly session likely to be stormy

The Budget session of the Odisha assembly is likely to be stormy with the opposition parties planning to raise a host of issues, including the chit fund scam, to corner the BJD government on the floor of the house.

However, the ruling party is quite confident of facing the attack by the Congress and the BJP as it has decided to use its most successful tested weapon -- 'central neglect'.

The session is scheduled to begin Feb 6. Both the Congress and the BJP are expected to raise the issues chit fund scam, land scam, arbitrary approach for the formation of a legislative council in the state and poor economic condition of the state.

Other issues the opposition is expected to raise include illegal mining scam and the law and order situation in the wake of the killing of two RTI activists in the state.

"We will raise different issues affecting the people in the assembly. While the economic condition of the state is worsening, there are new facts emerging every day about the involvement of government in chit fund scam being probed by CBI," said leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra.

BJP's legislature party leader Basant Panda said that the party would raise issue of atrocities on women, coal scam, and distress sale of paddy, in the assembly.

However, the BJD said the party is ready to face any issue to be raised by the opposition on the floor of the house.

"The opposition parties have already raised the chit fund issue. So, there is nothing new in it. We are ready to discuss any issue raised by the opposition for state's interest," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh.

The party has decided to raise Polavaram issue and lack of central assistance to Odisha. The budget session, which will have 30 working days, would be held in two phases. While the first phase would be held from Feb 6 to 21, the second phase would be held from March 10 to April 4.