The winter session of the Haryana assembly will commence on December 18. The decision was taken on Tuesday during a meeting chaired by chief minister Nayab Saini with cabinet ministers in Chandigarh. The final approval will be granted at the cabinet meeting scheduled for December 8. The chief minister also discussed several governance-related issues with his colleagues.
This session is expected to be stormy, with the opposition gearing up to target the government on at least four major issues. The state government has instructed officials to prepare detailed responses as it anticipates heated debates inside the House.
Ministers review development projects
After the informal meeting with cabinet colleagues and MLAs, minister Rajesh Nagar said ongoing development projects across departments were reviewed. He added that new depots will be allotted soon and any decision on a new assembly building will be taken in line with central government guidelines.
Sports minister promises action over player’s death
Responding to questions on the death of a basketball player in Rohtak, minister of state for sports Gaurav Gautam said the department’s report noted that the ground did not fall under its jurisdiction. He emphasised that accountability would remain with the government, irrespective of the department involved.
Gautam said such grounds would now be brought under the sports department through an undertaking, so responsibility is clearly defined and similar incidents are prevented. He confirmed that the Rohtak court was under the panchayat department and an inquiry was still underway.
Two reasons why the session will be contentious
The first reason is the Congress now appearing united under former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has been formally designated leader of the opposition after a year-long delay. With Hooda leading from the front, Congress MLAs are expected to aggressively challenge the treasury benches.
The Indian National Lok Dal is also preparing for a combative session. Although the party has only two MLAs, national chief Abhay Singh Chautala is continuously attacking the government on law and order and is drawing leaders from other parties into the INLD fold.
Issues the opposition will raise
Vote theft allegations: The Congress plans to corner the government over allegations of electoral malpractice. Rahul Gandhi had claimed during the Bihar election campaign that votes were stolen in Haryana. The Congress has since launched statewide protests under the campaign “vote thief, leave power,” and will raise the issue in the House.
Deaths of two basketball players: The deaths of two players in Rohtak and Bahadurgarh will also be highlighted. Congress legislator B B Batra has already announced that the party will bring a work-stoppage motion over the matter.
Paddy procurement scam: The alleged Rs 80 crore scam in paddy procurement across mandis will be another flashpoint. The Congress and farmer organisations have demanded a CBI probe, and the government is preparing for tough questions.
Law and order: Rising crime, threats and recent murders have become a key political issue. INLD leader Abhay Chautala has even approached the High Court seeking Z-plus security. The opposition is likely to press the government on policing and public safety.
Government readying its counter-strategy
The BJP-led government is preparing its defence. Officials have been instructed to ensure precise answers to all questions raised by MLAs. The chief minister has sought a detailed list of development work and previous announcements from ministers. These issues will again come under review at the December 8 cabinet meeting.
Ahead of the winter session, the BJP legislature party will also hold a separate meeting to chalk out its strategy to counter the opposition’s plans.