UP: 5-day monsoon session from Aug 18

Lucknow, Aug 17: A brief five-day monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly would begin from and was expected to be a stormy one with opposition raking up the issue of police atrocities on farmers at Greater Noida and law and order situation in the state.

The main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) would be seen for the first time coordinating with the Congress in the House to grill the treasury benches, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be not far lagging in raising different issue to corner the BSP government.

The main agenda for the government during the session would be to adopt the first supplementary budget to be presented on Tuesday besides, converting three ordinances into Acts.

The opposition parties would also raise the meeting of senior BSP leaders with jailed criminal turned politicians Atiq Ahmad, Afzal Ansari and his brother Mukhtar to force them to join the ruling party.

Prominent other issues to be raised during the session would be the police firing on the farmers at Greater Noida, illegal acquisition of farmers land at throwaway prices for different projects, including Ganga Expressway, rise of terrorism in the state, cane farmer dues, rise of prices of essential commodities and other developmental projects.

BJP had announced to boycott the all-party meeting to be conveyed by Chief Minister Mayawati this evening in protest against statement by her that political opponents have hatched a conspiracy to kill her.

Other opposition parties may also not participate in the meeting of the CM in protest against the CM's statement.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma here said government will ensure that the House functions normally, but it would be the responsibility of the Opposition for a smooth running.

''Government was ready to discuss all the issues through democratic norms in the legislature, but not allow the Opposition to use their force to corner us,'' he said.

SP working president Shivpal Singh Yadav said his party would rake up all the contentious issues and would force the government to reply on each and every motion.

''It is the duty of the opposition to raise the peoples' issues and government was constitutionally bound to reply it,'' he said.

BJP legislature party leader Om Prakash Singh said that his party would boycott the meeting called by the CM this evening in protest against the statement by her blaming political parties in conspiring to kill her.

''In the House, we will directly ask her to name the party or person behind the conspiracy and raise the issues directly involved with the masses including price hike and rise of terrorism in the state,'' Mr Singh said.

UNI