Horse-trading issue of MLAs rocks Assam Assembly
Guwahati Mar 21 PTI The Opposition staged a walkout in the Assam Assembly on Monday over alleged horse trading of MLAs by the ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha pollsAs soon as the House assembled in the morning the Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress said the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the ruling BJP were indulging in undemocratic practices by allegedly trying to buy MLAs to win both the Rajya Sabha seats from Assam for which elections will be held on March 31Speaker Biswajit Daimary tried to pacify the Opposition and requested them to allow continuance of the Question Hour but his pleas fell on deaf earsThe chief minister on Sunday had claimed that suspended Congress MLA Sashi Kanta Das will vote for BJP-led NDA candidates during the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in the state after a meeting with himThis is being done to weaken the Opposition and democracy Saikia said adding the chief minister allegedly said all Congress and opposition MLAs are ready to join the BJPThe treasury bench strongly opposed this resulting in a noisy situation inside the House The opposition started shouting slogans and waved placards with slogansThe opposition comprising the Congress AIUDF CPIM and the Raijor Dal moved to the well of the House and shouted slogans like Save Democracy Wont Allow Death of Democracy Inquilab Zindabad Follow Constitution and Jai Aai Asom among othersThese were countered by BJP MLAs with shouts of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Shree RamYou opposition please sit down and discuss the issue Only then we can solve it Theres no problem in discussing the issue in the House The Rajya Sabha polls will be held as per rule Daimary saidAfter continuously shouting slogans inside the well of the House for 35 minutes during which the Question Hour continued members of the four opposition parties staged a walkout from the AssemblyThe BJP has nominated Pabitra Margherita as its candidate for one seat while United Peoples Party Liberals UPPL working president Rwngwra Narzary was named for the second seatThe two seats for which elections are due are currently held by Ripun Bora and Ranee Narah of the Congress Bora is in the fray this time as the Opposition parties joint candidateThe ruling coalition stands comfortably poised to get one of its candidates easily elected though it may fall short by a couple of votes if the Opposition votes as a bloc for its lone nominee so farOut of seven Rajya Sabha seats from Assam the BJP currently holds three and Congress two BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad AGP has one member in the Upper House while the remaining one is held by an IndependentThe BJPs strength in the 126-member Assam Assembly is 63 while its allies AGP has nine and UPPL has seven MLAsIn the opposition camp the Congress strength is 27 All India United Democratic Front AIUDF has 15 members Bodoland Peoples Front BPF has three and CPIM has one MLAs There is also one Independent MLA PTI TR MM MM
Guwahati Mar 21 PTI The Opposition staged a walkout in the Assam Assembly on Monday over alleged horse trading of MLAs by the ruling BJP ahead of the Rajya Sabha pollsAs soon as the House assembled in the morning the Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress said the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the ruling BJP were indulging in undemocratic practices by allegedly trying to buy MLAs to win both the Rajya Sabha seats from Assam for which elections will be held on March 31Speaker Biswajit Daimary tried to pacify the Opposition and requested them to allow continuance of the Question Hour but his pleas fell on deaf earsThe chief minister on Sunday had claimed that suspended Congress MLA Sashi Kanta Das will vote for BJP-led NDA candidates during the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in the state after a meeting with himThis is being done to weaken the Opposition and democracy Saikia said adding the chief minister allegedly said all Congress and opposition MLAs are ready to join the BJPThe treasury bench strongly opposed this resulting in a noisy situation inside the House The opposition started shouting slogans and waved placards with slogansThe opposition comprising the Congress AIUDF CPIM and the Raijor Dal moved to the well of the House and shouted slogans like Save Democracy Wont Allow Death of Democracy Inquilab Zindabad Follow Constitution and Jai Aai Asom among othersThese were countered by BJP MLAs with shouts of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Shree RamYou opposition please sit down and discuss the issue Only then we can solve it Theres no problem in discussing the issue in the House The Rajya Sabha polls will be held as per rule Daimary saidAfter continuously shouting slogans inside the well of the House for 35 minutes during which the Question Hour continued members of the four opposition parties staged a walkout from the AssemblyThe BJP has nominated Pabitra Margherita as its candidate for one seat while United Peoples Party Liberals UPPL working president Rwngwra Narzary was named for the second seatThe two seats for which elections are due are currently held by Ripun Bora and Ranee Narah of the Congress Bora is in the fray this time as the Opposition parties joint candidateThe ruling coalition stands comfortably poised to get one of its candidates easily elected though it may fall short by a couple of votes if the Opposition votes as a bloc for its lone nominee so farOut of seven Rajya Sabha seats from Assam the BJP currently holds three and Congress two BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad AGP has one member in the Upper House while the remaining one is held by an IndependentThe BJPs strength in the 126-member Assam Assembly is 63 while its allies AGP has nine and UPPL has seven MLAsIn the opposition camp the Congress strength is 27 All India United Democratic Front AIUDF has 15 members Bodoland Peoples Front BPF has three and CPIM has one MLAs There is also one Independent MLA PTI TR MM MM
