Stormy farewell session of UP assembly from tomorrow

Lucknow, Jan 17(UNI) In the backdrop of Rashtriya Lok Dal(RLD) deserting the Samajwadi party-led government and pending crucial verdict of the Supreme Court on the defection of 42 BSP MLAs in 2003 to SP, the Mulayam Singh Yadav government will spearhead the farewell session of the 14th Uttar Pradesh assembly starting tomorrow.

The brief Winter session of the legisalture is expected to be stormy with Governor T V Rajeswar addressing the joint session on the opening day.

During the session, the Opposition would raise the issue of Nithari serial killings and the deteriorating law and order situation in the state along with miseries of the farmers.

The government is likely to take the vote of confidence on January 31, probably the last day of the 14th assembly, which would boost the morale of the ruling party before the assembly polls scheduled to be held before May 14, when the term of the present house expires.

However, political parties are yet to decide their final strategy on how to tackle the situation inside the house.

BJP and BSP will certainly oppose the vote of confidence to be sought during the thanks motion on the governor's address, the Congress is yet to disclose its plan even though it has gone on record saying it will oppose the government inside and outside the house.

Meanwhile, the RLD has sought sepearate sitting arrangements during the session.

Change in political equation started on January 9 last when RLD snapped ties with the ruling alliance by sending resignations of all its ministers. However, the party it yet to withdraw support from the government.

The CM had made a farwell speech in the assembly on the last day of the monsoon session on December 15 after approval of the vote-on-accounts for first four months of the next financial year.

Much controversy arose after it wanted to extended the monsoon session again from January 15 even after the governor prorogued the house on January 9.

After three days of high political drama, the state government decided to convene a new session shedding its earlier decision to reconvene the monsoon session.

The farewell session of the assembly will also concide with the crucial verdict of the Supreme Court expected sometime next week on the issue of breakaway BSP MLAs forming a separate party and later merging with the Samajwadi Party in 2003.

Yesterday a five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, concluded the marathon hearing on the appeals against the Allahabad High Court judgement, quashing the decision of the then Speaker Keshari Nath Tripathi recognising the breakaway BSP MLAs as a separate group in the Assembly.

According to the schedule, the brief session will have six sittings and will end on January 31 with the vote of confidence. Four sittings would be exclusively for the debate on governor's address, while rest two would be for other legisalative business, including approval of four pending bills.

SP sources said that during the vote of confidence, several MLAs of the opposition are likely to cross the floor, particularly the RLD.

State parliamentary affairs minister Mohammad Azam Khan said the session has been convened to complete some legislative business and to prove the government's majority in the floor of the house after the RLD snapping ties with the government.

However, leader of the opposition Lalji Tandon said it was unfortunate that the governor would read out the achievements of the outgoing government in the house.

''It was against the traditions and against the democratic norms,'' he said.

Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tiwari said his party would act as per the aspiration of the people and will decide their strategy very soon.

BSP legislature party leader Swami Prasad Maurya said his party MLAs will vote against the government during the confidence vote.

UNI