Jammu, Feb 22: With ruling coalition alliance and the opposition parties readying to lock horns over various issues, the annual budget session of the state legislature is expected to begin on a stormy note here on Thursday.
The session, which will start with the customary address of Governor NN Vohra to the joint sitting of the state Assembly and Council, might witness uproar by JKNPP, PDP, BJP and CPI(M) members on issues like NC worker Yousuf Shah's alleged custodial death and alleged involvement of some ministers in corruption cases.
Sources revealed that while BJP and PDP are expected to express their resentment by lodging a protest during the governor address, NPP may boycott the joint session by holding a protest demonstration outside the assembly.
The ruling Congress and National Conference, in its Legislature Party meetings, have directed their legislators to present a united face to counter the opposition onslaught during the session.
While the Congress held its LP meeting, few days back, National Conference held the meeting today under the chairmanship of party president Dr Farooq Abdullah.
The legislators were asked to "maintain the coalition dharma and work in close coordination with the coalition partner, Congress."
"Maintain composure despite anticipated provocation by the Opposition, which is frustrated and does not really have any issue worth its while to pursue", Dr Abdullah told the party legislators.
He asked ruling coalition legislators to showcase achievements together through effective and informed debate.
Farooq and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was also present at the meeting, advised the legislators to ensure that the proceedings in both the Houses are run smoothly and that nothing is done to disturb the decorum in the two Houses.
The  Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar recalled the smooth conduct of the previous session and assured the President and Chief Minister that this time also the house would be run smoothly and effectively and briefed the meeting about the different resolutions and bills that are likely to come up for discussion in the ensuing session.
The NC meet was followed by another meeting of the legislators of coalition alliance at the Chief Minister’s official residence late in the evening.
Sources revealed that the meeting also discussed the strategy to be adopted at the floor of the House to counter the opposition. The meeting was followed by the dinner hosted by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition party, PDP, also held its LP meeting under the chairmanship of the party patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, here this evening.
It was reliably learnt that the PDP decided to highlight the issues concerning the state in a planned manner in the House. “Owing to the past experiences it has been decided to raise the issues in planned manner so that the government is exposed for its misdeeds”, a PDP MLA said, preferring not to be named.
While BJP and Panthers Party are ready to raise the issues of new recruitment policy, move to withdraw AFSPA from some parts of the state, corruption cases against the Congress ministers and alleged regional discrimination, the PDP will mainly focus on the issues like corruption, misgovernance and custodial death of NC worker.
"There are lots of issues - from corruption to failure of governance on all fronts - and we will raise them vociferously," PDP sources claimed.
“The issues of non-governance, non-performance, regional bias, fractured work culture, lack of accountability and transparency, fiscal indiscipline, patronized corruption and poor government deliverance with utter failure on its part to address and redress the genuine urges and aspirations of the people of the state and to redeem its promises will be highlighted”, JKNPP MLA Harsh Dev Singh said here.
With the ousting of its seven MLAs over cross voting fiasco the Bhartiya Janta Party is also struggling with the internal problems. Sources said that the party will press for the disqualification of these MLAs from the House, a demand which may also find its support from the Congress.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST