BJD To Raise Special Category Demand In Odisha Assembly: CM

Bhubaneswar: BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said his party would raise special category status to Odisha among other issues in the budget session of the State Assembly beginning on Tuesday.

Briefing media persons after presiding over the party’s legislature meeting at the State Assembly conference hall in the evening, he said apart from the special category status issue, his party would also raise issues on implementation of Mahanadi Tribunal, Polavaram and agriculture and farmers’ problems in the House.

Replying to the issues to be raised by the Opposition bench during the session, the Chief Minister said the government would take up whatever issues brought by the Opposition for discussion.

Talking to the media, BJP State president Basant Panda said, his party would raise acute drinking water crisis, farmers’ issues, law and order, suicide of Kunduli minor rape victim and report of the Commission of Inquiry on Gumudumaha firing in Kandhamal district.

The saffron party had its meeting of its party legislators in the afternoon.

The Congress has already discussed its strategies at its legislature party meeting.

“We have a host of issues like law and order, gang rape of women, farmers’ suicide, corruption, hike in minimum support price of paddy, drinking water problems etc which we will raise in the House,” Opposition chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said.