Stormy beginning awaits Odisha’s 1st woman speaker

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha’s first woman speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly Pramila Mallik will face a tumultuous monsoon session from Friday with Opposition BJP and Congress all set to corner the government over several issues.The major issues will be the manner of functioning of the government, neglect of farmers and deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The government has not revealed official business on agenda so far except placing of the supplementary budget on the first day of the session.

The Appropriation Bill on the supplementary budget will be placed in the House on October 3. The House will be in session till October 4.The legislature party meetings of the political parties, BJD, BJP and Congress have been scheduled on Friday as most of the western Odisha MLAs are expected to reach here in morning. The BJD legislature party meeting has been scheduled after the speaker’s election in the morning while that of BJP will be held at 5.30 pm. The Congress legislature party meeting is also expected to be held after obituary references are over in the House.

The House will condole the death of former speaker Surjya Narayan Patro and others before adjourning for the afternoon session when the supplementary budget will be placed.Mallik, who held the Revenue and Disaster Management portfolio filed her nomination papers for the post of speaker on Thursday. Election for the post will be held on Friday morning.