BJP's 2 years vs Congress' 5: CLP meets to target Bhajanlal Sharma govt in Assembly

Jaipur, Feb 23 (IANS) The proceedings of the Budget Session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Monday will be quite interesting, as the opposition Congress has prepared to intensify its strategy against the ruling government.

It is holding a meeting in Vidhan Sabha, which started at 10 a.m., where the strategy is being discussed.

In the wake of a major controversy that erupted on Saturday over Assembly procedures, the Congress has called this high-level Legislature Party meeting to chalk out its next course of action. The meeting is focused on refining the party’s strategy to corner the Bhajanlal Sharma-led government during the House proceedings. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is also attending this meeting.

The opposition aims to escalate its protest over what it claims are procedural violations and deviations from agreed Assembly norms.

The fifth session of the 16th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly has been embroiled in controversy following disagreements over the discussion agenda.

Opposition Whip Rafiq Khan, speaking to IANS, accused the government of discrepancies between decisions taken in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting and the report presented in the House.

He told IANS that the government violated Assembly rules by tabling a proposal focused only on the government’s two-year achievements instead of a comparative discussion on the BJP government’s two years versus the Congress government’s five-year tenure, as earlier discussed.

“The government flouted Assembly rules and procedures. The agenda and proposal were changed, which is against parliamentary norms,” Khan said, citing Rule 263 to support his argument.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel has rejected the allegations, calling the opposition’s protest baseless and politically motivated.

He stated that the proposal was finalised unanimously in the BAC meeting and subsequently approved by the House.

Patel also alleged internal differences within the Congress, claiming that the party leadership did not want the Leader of Opposition to speak in the Assembly.

With both sides sticking to their positions, Monday’s proceedings are likely to witness heated debates and disruptions. The controversy over procedural compliance and political messaging is expected to dominate the Assembly’s functioning, with Congress planning aggressive tactics to challenge the government.