Amidst Oppn’s protest, BJP poses united front under Yogi’s command
As the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly’s Monsoon session began, the BJP posed a united front under Yogi Adityanath’s command with his two deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak sharing frames with him in the corridors of the Vidhan Bhavan, exuding good chemistry even as the Opposition held strong though brief protests to draw attention to issues of public interest here on Monday.
Although this was the first time after the Lok Sabha polls that the ruling party and the Opposition members were coming face to face with the possibility of acrimonious scenes not being ruled out, the House proceedings were conducted almost smoothly on the first day of the Monsoon session. This was also the first day after the chief minister’s conclave and other BJP meetings held in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday that chief minister and his two deputy chief ministers attended in the national capital.
Adityanath came to the Vidhan Sabha Hall a few minutes before the beginning of the proceedings and went to the Opposition and ruling benches alike, meeting the MLAs from both the sides. He introduced to the House four cabinet ministers, including two from the allies, the SBSP (Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party) and the RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal) who were inducted in his ministry on March 5 (after the budget session) ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls. They included minister for panchayati raj and minority welfare Om Prakash Rajbhar, minister for science and technology Anil Kumar, minister for prisons Dara Singh Chauhan and minister for electronics and IT Sunil Sharma.
Agitated members of the Opposition, mainly the Samajwadi Party, however, soon stormed into the well of the House, carrying placards targeting the BJP government briefly. The Opposition members returned to their seats in less than five minutes following persuasion from speaker Satish Mahana and directives from new leader of opposition Mata Prasad Pandey. The Opposition members came to the well of the House again on the power supply issue when adjournment notices were taken up, they returned to their respective seats and staged a walkout.
Earlier, the House proceedings began with the singing of the national song “Vande Mataram” at 11am. After introduction of ministers, Mahana used the occasion to convey his best wishes to newly elected leader of opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, a seven-term MLA who had served as the speaker of the state legislative assembly earlier.
“I am happy to see you as leader of opposition in the
House,” Mahana said. Pandey said his endeavour will be to raise the issues of public concern that include floods, law and order, power supply and corruption.
When Pandey was speaking, the SP members began giving signals that they would take out placards and carry them to the well of the House.
“BJP vifal hai” (BJP has failed), “INDIA ko jitana hai” (we need to make INDIA win), “Betiyon ko bachayenge” (We will protect our daughters), Bijli katauti band karo (stop power cuts) and “Samvidhan Bachao, Bharat Bachao” (Save constitution, save India) were some of the slogans on the placards that they displayed in the assembly.
The speaker persuaded the members to return to their seats as he was ready to take up the adjournment notices given by the Opposition on various issues. “What do you want? You have given notice on the power supply issue under Rule 56. I will take up the notice. Don’t you have interest in the proceedings of question hour?” said Mahana.
“You came to the well to test me or take your own test,” he then asked. Soon, the Opposition members returned to their seats and questions were taken up about various issues.