Gandhinagar:

The over a month long first budget session of 14 th Gujarat Assembly today began on a stormy note as expected.

Amid the din and uproar caused by the slogan shouting by Congress MLAs, the house was even adjourned for half an hour. The Congress MLAs had assembled in front of the speaker’s seat and were shouting slogans.

Governor O P Kohli concluded his address within 4 to 5 minutes amid the chaotic scene. It was deemed read.

Congress MLAs who sought resignation of CM Vijay Rupani over the Dalit self immolation, Narmada water and other issues including farmer’s issues also objected to the governor;s address in English.

Earlier the governor formally inaugurated the reconstructed assembly building Vithalbhai Patel Bhavan where a puja and hawan was also held.

In the first sitting of the house, the formal election of Speaker Rajendra Trivedi was done. The motion of proposal of his name with consensus was moved by CM Rupani and it was seconded by LoP Paresh Dhanani.

The session to be concluded on March 28 is likely to see the passage of around half a dozen bills including the one making penal provisions for using fake caste certificates for reservation benefits

Deputy CM cum Finance Minister Nitin Patel will present the budget tomorrow on the second day of the session.

The first session of the house was likely to be quite stormy owing to the changed equations. Main opposition Congress with a stronger strength of 77 (81 with supporters 2 independents Jignesh Mevani and Bhupendra Khant and 2 of Bhartiya Tribal Party of Chhotu Vasava) in 182 member assembly (only 61 in the last one which even went down with switching over and loosing in by polls), was looking determined to raise several issues including the Narmada water, recent Dalit self immolation, various farmers issues etc prominently.

BJP with the reduced strength of 99 (100 including the support of one independent MLA while it was 115 in last one ; it went up to 121 by the end) looked somewhat guarded on day one.

DeshGujarat