With battle lines drawn between ruling JD(U) and opposition BJP as well RJD over Bodh Gaya serial blasts and midday meal tragedy in which 23 children died, the monsoon session of the two Houses of Bihar legislature will begin on Friday and is expected to be a stormy session.
The monsoon session of both Bihar Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council is scheduled from July 26 to August 2 respectively. After a one-day special session of the Assembly on June 19 in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sought confidence vote, the monsoon session will be the first occasion post split when the ruling party will meet the challenge of a determined BJP and old rival RJD over different issues.
Kumar, who earlier faced little resistance due to overwhelming number of NDA legislators and a depleted RJD (having only 22 members in 243-member Assembly) is bound to face anxious moments from BJP and RJD among others this time. Bodh Gaya serial blasts and midday meal tragedy in Chhapra have given additional ammunition to the opposition to attack the CM.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had set the tone saying his party will bring adjournment motion on Chhapra incident during the session. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told reporters it is prerogative of an opposition party to move adjournment.
"The government is ready for any kind of debate or face any challenge from opposition," he had told reporters. Post separation, BJP whose 91 MLAs will now sit in the opposition gallery, has sharpened attack on Kumar. They are holding a protest at the Chief Minister's home turf Nalanda today to tell the people about Kumar's "betrayal" of 2010 mandate. RJD will also not miss the opportunity to corner the ruling JD(U) on law and order and midday meal tragedy.
Role of 4-member Congress, which had bailed out Nitish Kumar government in the trust vote, will also be interesting to watch. Congress leaders including its General Secretary and state in-charge C P Joshi has already said that the party voted for Kumar as part of political "strategy" but would not hesitate to protest anti-people activities of the JD(U) government.
In view of volatility of the session, elaborate security arrangements have been planned in the legislative premises during the session, sources in Assembly office said.
In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, JD(U) has 118 members including the Speaker, BJP which is now the principal opposition 91 MLAs, RJD 22, Congress 4, LJP and CPI one each and six Independents. Four out of six Independents supported the government on confidence motion.
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