Jaipur, Aug 28 (IANS) The Congress party on Wednesday boycotted the all-party meeting convened before the start of the monsoon session of the Rajasthan Assembly.

The meeting, chaired by Speaker Vasudev Devnani, was called to ensure smooth conduct of proceedings during the session, but no Congress representative attended.

The boycott by the principal opposition party has given clear signals of a confrontation between the ruling BJP and Congress on the floor of the House.

Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully, while explaining the reason for the boycott, launched a scathing attack on the government. He alleged that the BJP government’s intention regarding the Assembly session was never clear.

“The Speaker wants the session to be long, but the government is keen to wrap it up in just a few days. If the session is curtailed, how will accountability of the government be ensured? In the last two and a half years, this government has proven to be both unsuccessful and unpopular, and we will expose it in the Assembly,” Julie said.

He further clarified that the Congress would participate in the proceedings on the first day of the session, but the party will meet on September 2 to finalise its strategy. A meeting of the legislature party has been called, where senior leaders, including the in-charge, state president and former Chief Ministers, will be present to chalk out the future course of action.

Raising serious allegations, Jully questioned why answers to legislators’ questions were not uploaded on the Assembly portal this time.

“Earlier, replies were uploaded for the public to see. This time, the government has withheld them. What is the government afraid of?” he asked.

Jully also condemned the removal of senior MLA Narendra Budhania from the post of Privilege Committee Chairman just days after his appointment, terming it an insult to a senior leader.

The Opposition leader accused the BJP government of working with a one-sided approach and undermining democratic values.

He claimed that Congress-backed Pradhans, Pramukhs and Body Presidents are being selectively removed in several districts.

He further alleged that the government, despite constitutional obligations, is deliberately delaying Panchayat Raj and Municipal elections, and instead seeking stays from the High Court.

“Even in the matter of student union elections, the government filed an affidavit in the High Court against holding polls. This clearly proves that the government does not believe in democracy, whether it is at the Panchayat level or in universities,” Jully charged.

With the Congress already sharpening its attack and boycotting the all-party meeting, political observers expect a stormy monsoon session marked by heated debates and confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition.

–IANS

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