The first session of the 16th Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA) began on a stormy note on Tuesday with Opposition Congress members trouping into the Well of the House and staging a protest alleging a “secret alliance” between the ruling BJD and the main Opposition BJP and protesting against non-announcement of the name of Leader of Opposition by the Speaker.
The Congress members also staged a walkout as Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro didn’t respond to their demand.
The session started with Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal addressing the House for 17 minutes. Later, the House mourned the deaths of two former Ministers, three other members and three jawans.
Soon after condolences, Congress members Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Suresh Routray and Santosh Singh Saluja stood up and questioned the Speaker as to why he addressed Pradipta Kumar Naik as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) during the Obituary discussions without any formal announcement. They alleged that the BJD and the BJP have entered into a “secret alliance”, causing damage to the democracy.
As Speaker Patro didn’t respond, Bahinipati, Routray, Mohammed Moquim and Ramesh Jena rushed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans seeking clarification in favour of their allegations.
Amidst sloganeering, a Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s address was moved and seconded. Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallick was delivering on the Governor’s speech when Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra intervened and wanted to know why the Speaker didn’t announce the name Leader of Opposition formally and urged him to adjourn the House and convene an all-party meeting.
To this, Patro only said that he would discuss with him and others on the issue in his chamber later. However, Mishra didn’t agree and said, “You can’t bulldoze the House. In this way House can’t run.” Then all the members of the Congress staged a walkout.
Following Mallick’s speech, the Speaker announced names of ‘Adhistatas’ (Chairpersons), who would preside over the House in absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and then adjourned the House at 12.35 am till Wednesday morning.