After BJD, Congress Announces Boycott Of Orientation Programme For Odisha MLAs

Bhubaneswar: The two main Opposition parties, BJD and Congress, have decided to boycott the two-day orientation programme for first-time MLAs to be held in the Odisha Assembly from August 17.

A day after BJD announced its boycott decision, Congress legislature party leader Ram Chandra Kadam on Thursday alleged that the BJP has turned the programme into a party event by inviting Union Ministers. “We would have attended had the CM or the Speaker conducted the programme. Our MLAs are unlikely to benefit from it,” he told reporters.

The BJD and the Congress have 51 and 14 MLAs respectively in the state Assembly.

On Wednesday, Opposition deputy chief whip Pratap Deb expressed reservations over inauguration of the event by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and valedictory address by Union Minister and BJP national president J P Nadda. “Pradhan and Nadda are not members of the Assembly. Their presence will be disrespect to the House. The programme should be inaugurated either by the Speaker or the chief minister, who is leader of the House, as per the conventions,” he said.

The BJD also questioned the Speaker’s scheduled to visit the BJP party headquarters to attend a programme on August 18. “The speaker attending a party programme automatically raise questions on impartiality associated with the constitutional post,” said party MLA Ganeswar Behera.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, however, said the Speaker will preside over orientation programme and the chief minister will also be present in all the sessions. “The Union ministers have been invited as a guest. The programme will be held by abiding with all rules and procedures of the Assembly,” he said.