By IANS,
Mumbai : Maharashtra is bracing for a stormy budget session of the state assembly, starting Thursday, with the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposition in an aggressive mood to take the ruling Democratic Front government to task on a variety of issues.
The opposition mood became clear when it boycotted the customary session-eve tea party of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan here Wednesday evening.
It has several major issues in hand – starting with the Feb 13 Pune terror blast, followed by the arrests of two suspected terrorists in Mumbai four days ago.
The opposition plans to corner the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) combine on the caning of people in Vasai a fortnight ago, the drinking water and power shortages afflicting large parts of the state, the looming crises in Vidarbha with continuing farmer suicides and the spiraling prices of essential commodities.
The government will also face the opposition flak on the prickly ‘Mumbai for Maharashtrians’ issue as well as pending infrastructure projects in and around the city.
The budget session will commence with the traditional address by Governor K. Sankaranarayanan – his first since he was appointed in January – to the joint session of both houses of the state legislature.
Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare will table his maiden budget for the year 2010-11 on March 25.
Leader of Opposition Eknath Khadse of the BJP, who has in the past vociferously raised the issue of the 26/11, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks, is expected to raise the Pune terror attack in which 17 people were killed.
Over a month since the incident, the investigating agencies have not made any breakthrough in the probe, prompting the BJP to demand that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The opposition will also demand detailed discussion on Mumbai and its problems that affect the masses here.
“Lack of security, infrastructure, basic amenities shall be the major focal point of our discussions in the sssion,” Khadse told reporters in the run-up to the session.
The ‘Mumbai for Maharashtrians’ issue is expected to figure prominently with both the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) spearheading the cause and demanding a check on the inflow of migrants to the city.