Odisha lawmakers agree on no banners, posters in assembly

An all-party meeting called on Saturday to end the ongoing stalemate in the Odisha assembly unanimously decided that henceforth no member would be allowed to take any banner or placard inside the house.

The meeting -- convened by Speaker Niranjan Pujari -- charted out the business to be taken up on the floor of the assembly during the concluding five days of the ongoing session.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh said opposition leaders have assured that they will cooperate with the government to run the house smoothly.

He said the house will discuss and debate various issues from Monday and take up important issues in phases.

Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra of the Congress said the meeting was more or less successful.

"We assured the ruling party members to cooperate with them in the discussion. But we will oppose and protest if the house does not take up our demands for discussion," said Mishra.

It was proposed in the meeting that the house will discuss the Sarathi Baba scandal on Monday, the law and order situation on Tuesday, the Nabakalebara and Brahma Parivartan mismanagement on Wednesday, and the drought situation on Friday.

The speaker adjourned the house till Monday. The monsoon session that began on August 18 would end on August 28.