Monsoon session of Punjab Assembly likely to be stormy

The brief monsoon session of Punjab Assembly, beginning here from Friday, is likely to be a stormy affair with opposition Congress expected to corner the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP alliance over various issues like the farmers' crisis and high power tariff.
The session between September 18 and 24 will have four sittings.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar said his party is ready to corner the Parkash Singh Badal government on issues like farmers crisis, high power tariff, law and order, plight of industry and common man in the state.
The ruling SAD-BJP is expected to counter the opposition onslaught by highlighting the Punjab government's initiatives for the common man, farmers, industry and issues concerning law and order.

Badal has convened a joint meeting of SAD-BJP MLAs here on Friday to chalk out government's strategy for the session.
Though both the ruling SAD-BJP and Congress might be prepared for the session, but the big challenge for them will be to show unity on the floor of the House.

Congress in the state is plagued with infighting. On the other hand, differences between SAD and BJP has also come to fore on different issues in the past putting the alliance to embarrassment, especially on allocating grants for development of areas.
BJP MLA Navjot Kaur had been vocal against the government, alleging "lopsided" development, a charge vehmently denied by Badal.

SAD MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria is also up in arms against his own government over setting up of a waste disposal plant in Amritsar.
Besides, SAD-BJP is likely to face a stiff challenge from Congress over the issue of illegal mining and drug abuse in the state.
Bains brothers - Balwinder and Simerjit - both independents have been fighting their own war against the Badal government over the issue of illegal mining.
The brothers will also leave no stone unturned to make things difficult for the government on the floor of the House.