Bhubaneswar: The budget session of the Odisha Assembly will commence at 11.30 am on Thursday and continue in two phases till April 9.
With the state budget to be presented on February 22, BJD, BJP and Congress will be holding their legislature party meeting on Wednesday to chalk out strategies for the upcoming session.
According to sources, BJD president Naveen Patnaik will chair the meeting scheduled for 5.30 pm while Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra will hold a meeting of party MLAs at 6 pm.
Paddy procurement at the mandis and the Kotia issue are likely to dominate this session. The opposition is also likely to raise its voice against the alleged law and order situation in the state.
The ruling BJD, on the other hand, is likely to centre the debate on the controversial draft heritage bylaws notified by National Monuments Authority.
Tight Security
Meanwhile, security around the assembly and the secretariat has been enhanced with the deployment of 25 platoons of police force and barricading at three points.
A police team will also remain on standby with blankets and water to prevent any suicide bid.
Father of Jharaphula Nayak, who was allegedly killed last month, has threatened self-immolation in front of the Assembly over the alleged tardy investigation by Jajpur police.
The winter session last year had seen three suicide bids.
According to reports, the roads in front of the Secretariat and the Assembly will remain out of bounds for the general public during the budget session.
Traffic heading for Rabindra Mandap Square from AG Square and vice-versa will be divereted towards the service road behind IG Park. and commuters from Bidyut Marg towards Naatala.
