Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Legislative Assembly has issued a revised schedule for the two-day orientation program for first-time MLAs from Saturday, August 17.
As per the revised schedule, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will inaugurate the programme. Earlier, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and JP Nadda were on the guest list. Alleging that the orientation programme for MLAs has been politicized, both the opposition BJD and the Congress decided to boycott the programme.
According to the new schedule, Union Minister Kiren Ruju will inaugurate the training camp instead of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and on the 18th of August, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh will deliver the valedictory address instead of Union Minister JP Nadda. However, the rest of the guests and programs have been kept unchanged as per the earlier schedule.
Speaker Surma Padhi, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi and State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling will attend the inauguration of the orientation programme for MLAs.
In this two-day training program, Union Minister Jual Oram, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, BJD leaders Prafulla Chandra Ghadei, Ranendra Pratap Swain and Congress leader Narasingha Mishra have also been invited to acquaint the MLAs with the rules and procedures relating to the proceedings of the House, functioning of various committees, the budgetary process, privileges and conduct of members.
The BJD, led by Naveen Patnaik, has declared that its legislators will not participate in the event. “The MLA orientation program is conducted like a political event,” claimed Pramila Mallik, the Opposition chief whip. The party has communicated this decision to Speaker Surama Padhy through a letter.
Rama Chandra Kadam, the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, initially stated that their MLAs would abstain from the program. However, after changes to the schedule and guest list, he mentioned that the matter would be deliberated within the party.
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling stated, “BJD and Congress MLAs should join the program designed for new members. The BJD is an issue out of a non-issue.
The orientation is for 84 first-time MLAs, including 54 from the BJP, 18 from BJD, nine from Congress, and three Independents.
