BJD holds legislature party meeting to decide on strategies ahead of assembly session

Bhubaneswar, Jul 20 (PTI) Ahead of the assembly session starting on July 22, the opposition BJD on Saturday asked its legislators to fight for the rights of people in an effective manner.
    Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik presided over the BJD’s legislature party meeting here.
    The first session of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly will begin on July 22.
    Noting that the people of Odisha have given the BJD a new role as the opposition party, Patnaik discussed the strategies to be adopted in the House.
    All the 51 BJD MLAs attended the meeting.
    The issues, which would be raised by the BJD legislators, included the prevailing price rise of essential items, alleged mismanagement during Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra, law and order situation, "assault" on a government servant at the Puri Raj Bhavan, communal riot in Balasore and others.
    Patnaik also asked the party MLAs to seek clarification from the state government on the BJP’s promise to provide free electricity up to 300 units to households from July.
    The BJD president also instructed the party MLAs to ensure 100 per cent attendance in the proceedings of the House.
    Patnaik also advised BJD legislators to work to safeguard the interest of the state and its 4.5 crore people.
    BJD chief whip Pramila Mallik and deputy chief whip Pratap Keshari Deb told reporters after the meeting that the party president and LoP discussed different issues to be raised during the upcoming assembly session.
    Meanwhile, Speaker Surama Padhy has convened an all-party meeting on July 21, ahead of the upcoming budget session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)