Himachal Pradesh Monsoon Assembly Session to Kick Off on Tuesday Amid Political Tensions
The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly’s Monsoon session is set to commence on Tuesday in Shimla, spanning ten days. This session, featuring ten historic sittings, aims to offer maximum opportunity for legislators to address pressing issues. However, recent political developments and lingering disputes suggest that the session may witness intense debates and confrontations.
In preparation for the session, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania held an all-party meeting to ensure smooth proceedings. However, the absence of opposition leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition, due to health reasons, and other key BJP members citing personal commitments, has already stirred controversy. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan criticized the opposition’s absence, calling it a breach of democratic tradition. Despite this, Speaker Pathania has assured that he has secured the opposition’s cooperation for the session.
The session will begin on a somber note, with a condolence message for the late former MLAs Tek Chand Dogra, Daulat Ram Chaudhary, and Narayan Singh Swamy. The first day’s agenda will include discussions on the damages caused by the recent heavy rains, underscoring the urgent need for rehabilitation efforts across the state.
A total of 936 questions have been submitted, indicating the legislators’ concerns over critical issues such as infrastructure, electricity, water supply, and the closure of schools. Of these, 640 are starred questions, requiring oral answers, while 296 are unstarred, necessitating written responses. The focus on these essential services highlights the severity of the challenges currently confronting the state.
This session is crucial for the Congress government, which recently regained its majority in the assembly following a period of political turbulence. During the previous budget session, six Congress MLAs defected to the BJP and cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, leading to a temporary deadlock, with 34 MLAs each for the Congress and BJP. However, subsequent by-election victories restored the Congress majority to 40 MLAs, while the BJP strengthened its position by winning three seats.
The political landscape has grown more contentious, with the BJP’s recent victory in all four Lok Sabha seats emboldening the opposition to challenge the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government more forcefully. The BJP has already scheduled a legislature party meeting in Shimla to strategize how to best counter the ruling party during the session.
Discussions are expected to center around the state’s financial health, which has been strained by Rs 10,000 crore in pending dues from the previous BJP government that were transferred to the current administration. The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu cabinet’s spending and the appointment of political aides have also drawn criticism for allegedly straining state resources. Adding to the tension are grievances from the State Secretariat employees regarding government extravagance and financial mismanagement.
With a packed agenda and heightened political animosities, Speaker Pathania faces the daunting task of ensuring the smooth conduct of what promises to be a tense and pivotal ten-day session.
