Monsoon session of Punjab Assembly set to start on stormy note

The monsoon session of Punjab Assembly beginning from Friday is likely to witness fireworks with opposition parties gearing up to launch an offensive against the ruling Congress over a host of issues, including CBI's closure report on sacrilege incidents, unemployment, hike in power tariff and farmers' plight.

Members of the House will assemble on Friday for obituary references. With Saturday and Sunday being holidays, the House will reassemble on Monday and will adjourn sine die on Tuesday.

The AAP and SAD-BJP combine have been attacking the state government for short duration of the session by describing it as "mere farce" and accusing it of running away from discussing Punjab's burning issues.

They also demanded the speaker to extend the session.

It will be interesting to see if Congress MLA from Amritsar East seat and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will attend the session.

Sidhu, who has been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, had resigned as minister from the Punjab cabinet last month after his portfolio was changed.

Cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu, who continued to remain incommunicado for media, has been meeting his supporters at his residence in Amritsar.

Except Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Verka and Pargat Singh, no other senior party leader or minister has met him post his resignation.

Members of the Shiromani Akali Dali will be attending the session this time without party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who has now become a Member of Parliament from Ferozepur seat.

In his absence, senior Akali leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Parminder Singh Dhindsa are likely to lead the charge to corner the treasury benches in the assembly.

All eyes will also be on the faction-ridden Aam Aadmi Party and how effectively it raises its issues in the House, amid SAD's accusation that it is the "B team" of the ruling Congress.

At present, AAP MLA Harpal Singh Cheema is the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly. Out of total 20 legislators, five AAP MLAs -- H S Phoolka, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Amarjit Singh Sandoa and Baldev Singh -- have quit the party. Except Baldev Singh, the other four have resigned from the assembly as legislators too.

The AAP had already sought the disqualification of Khaira, who floated his own political outfit, from Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Sandoa and Manshahia joined the Congress before this year's Lok Sabha polls.

A decision on their resignations is yet to be taken by the speaker.

Four other AAP legislators -- Kanwar Sandhu, Jagtar Singh, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Pirmal Singh Khalsa -- have been staying away from party programmes.

CBI's closure report on three sacrilege incidents is likely to be the main issue on which the opposition parties are gearing up to corner the state government.

Last month, Badal had opposed the closure report filed by the CBI in sacrilege incidents.

SAD senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the state is facing serious law and order problems, worsening condition of farmers, illegal mining and unprecedented hike in power tariff across all categories of consumers, while AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema said his party will raise several issues like increasing unemployment in the state.