UP assembly: Maiden session with many firsts to its credit

The opening session of the newly elected Uttar Pradesh Assembly today had many firsts to its credit.
This is the first assembly session after the BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath came to power last month after a landslide victory in the state assembly elections.
It was for the first time that the proceedings of the state assembly were telecast live through Doordarshan.
It was also for the first time that the governor was welcomed in a ceremonial manner by the chief minister, chairman of UP legislative council, speaker of legislative assembly and parliamentary affairs minister when he arrived at the imposing Vidhan Bhavan building.

Governor Ram Naik was also given a Guard of Honour.
However, the honour bestowed upon him proved to be short lived as once inside the House, he faced a volley of protest from opposition parties whose members trooped into the well, raised anti-government slogans and threw paper balls at the podium when he read out the customary address.

A visibly annoyed Naik reminded the agitated members that the entire state was witnessing their behaviour as the proceedings were being telecast live.
Inside the House, it was 'role reversal' for erstwhile opposition stalwarts Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Swami Prasad Maurya, who occupied the treasury benches having won on BJP tickets this time.

Earlier, before the proceedings began, a BJP MLA from Bundelkhand arrived in a bullock cart decorated with garlands of marigold - boldly stressing the saffron colour of the ruling party. Jawahar Lal Rajput from Garautha in Jhansi district alighted from the cart and posed merrily before photographers.