By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 20, 2024: The first day of the second phase of the budget session of Odisha Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed uproarious scenes as opposition Congress and BJD MLAs created a ruckus over different issues.

As soon as the House made an obituary reference to a former MLA Sunder Mohan Majhi, Congress members led by Taraprasad Bahinipati rushed to the well of the House and raised slogans demanding holding of student union elections in different colleges and universities.

The BJD members raised three issues, including their demand for expunging the statements made regarding the arrest of LoP. The BJD members also demanded expunge of the statement of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling who demanded the arrest of Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik for his party creating a ruckus during the Governor’s address to the House during the first phase of the session.

First, the House was adjourned for one hour in the morning and later till 4 pm following the uproar by the Opposition members.

On Monday, law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced that the students’ union elections in Odisha, which has not been held for the last eight years, would be held from next year. However, the Congress members are insisting on holding the elections this year itself.

“College elections serve as better platforms for students to enter politics. The students’ union elections in Odisha have not been held from 2017 till date. The then minister and secretary had stopped holding students’ elections as they knew that BJD would get defeated. Now the BJP government said that they will not hold elections this year. The Youth Congress will stage protests across the state if students’ union elections are not held.”

On the issues raised by their party, BJD’s Pratap Keshari Deb said, “We had raised several issues, including the way Odisha CM made announcement outside the Assembly for reservation for Agniveer in state government services and alleged assault on a Raj Bhawan staff by the Governor’s son.”

The second phase of the Odisha Assembly session is scheduled to continue till September 13. The House will debate on budgetary demands of different departments.