In rare gesture, Odisha CM invites protesting BJP MLAs into his residence for talks

BHUBANESWAR: In a rare gesture, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday came out from Naveen Nivas and invited the protesting BJP MLAs who were on a dharna in front of his official residence inside for a discussion on how to end the stalemate in the Assembly for the last six days on the paddy procurement issue.

The BJP legislators, who had marched to Naveen Nivas after the Chief Minister was absent from the Assembly, ended their dharna and agreed for a discussion over the issue of alleged irregularities in paddy procurement. Coming out from the discussion, leader of the Opposition Pradip Kumar Naik said the BJPs MLAs put forward their demands and said that normalcy can be restored in the House only after procurement of paddy. The Chief Minister is reported to have assured the MLAs that he will take steps to end the stalemate soon by discussing with the Speaker.

High drama was witnessed in front of the Naveen Nivas when a group of ministers and BJD MLAs tried to evict the protesting BJP MLAs. However, the BJP MLAs continued with their dharna and demanded that the Chief Minister should come out from Naveen Nivas and discuss with them how to end the stalemate in the
Assembly. The BJP MLAs demanded that the issue of largescale mismanagement in mandis should be discussed in the House.

Earlier, over 50 BJD MLAs urged the Chief Minister through video conference from the Lok Seva Bhavan to find out ways to end the deadlock in the House. No business could be transacted in the House even today with the Opposition BJP and Congress MLAs creating a ruckus in the well over irregularities in paddy procurement while the ruling BJD MLAs protested from their seats.

The BJD MLAs reiterated their demand for an apology from BJP MLA Subash Panigrahi for attempting suicide in the house on Friday by consuming sanitiser. Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro had to adjourn the House first till 12 and then till 4 am when the Opposition members shouted slogans in the well.

The Congress MLAs, on the other hand, sat on a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the assembly premises demanding a discussion on the issue of paddy procurement.