Odisha Assembly monsoon session from September 18; opposition gears up for stormy debates

Bhubaneswar, Aug 21: The Monsoon Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly will begin on September 18 and continue till September 25, as per the schedule released by the Speaker’s office. With only seven working days, the week-long session is expected to witness stormy exchanges over several burning and sensitive issues.

Opposition parties, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress, have prepared to corner the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on multiple fronts. Key issues likely to dominate discussions include the death of an FM College student, the Balangir student burning case, the Gopalpur gangrape incident, and the Mahanadi river water dispute with Chhattisgarh.

BJD chief whip Pramila Mallik said her party would raise matters such as women’s harassment, student self-immolation incidents, and farmers’ distress. “BJD will also demand accountability on what the government has achieved in the last one and a half years,” she added.

Congress, meanwhile, has criticized the limited duration of the session. MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that the government was initially reluctant to convene the session but was compelled after pressure mounted. Congress plans to raise issues of vote theft and women’s safety.

Amidst the opposition’s offensive, the state government is preparing to introduce several important bills, aiming to push forward legislative reforms.