Chouhan wants Congress MLAs to attend special assembly session
By IANSMonday, May 10, 2010
BHOPAL - Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to direct her party legislators to participate in the special session of the assembly that aims to seek suggestions for inclusive development in the state.
In a letter to Gandhi, the chief minister said that the objective of holding the session, scheduled for May 11, was to exclusively deliberate on development issues related to the state. “The idea is inspired by a noble urge to seek suggestions of the members of the house irrespective of their political affiliations,” Chouhan said.
He drew Gandhi’s attention to the fact that the state Congress had decided to boycott the special session even though it was being convened after all the members of the Business Advisory Committee of the house had unanimously granted their consent at a meeting chaired by the speaker.
He hoped the members would rise above political considerations while participating in the discussions.
“The suggestions thus received would be translated into actionable points and duly implemented. This constructive initiative would immensely benefit the people of the state,” the chief minister said.
On May 3, Congress members decided to boycott the four-day special assembly session and instead declared they would demonstrate over issues such as power and potable water crisis, corruption and the deteriorating law and order situation during the proposed session.
“The government should have discussed such burning issues, but it wants to take credit by raising the issue of ‘Swarnim Madhya Pradesh’ (Golden Madhya Pradesh),” Congress Legislative Party (CLP) deputy leader Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi said.
Chaturvedi alleged that stipulated procedures were not followed when a meeting of the Advisory Committee of the assembly was held before issuing the notice.
Asked why Congress members, who were present at the Advisory Committee meeting, did not oppose the decision, Chaturvedi said “false information” was given to them.
“I was told that the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Jamuna Devi had given her consent to convene the session. But when she was asked about it, Devi said she had no idea about the issue,” said Chaturvedi.
President Pratibha Patil was supposed to address the special session but Rashtrapati Bhavan cancelled on grounds of “unavoidable reasons”.
