Special UP Assembly session to be held sans opposition

Even as the countdown has begun for the historic 36-hour marathon special session of the Uttar Pradesh state legislature to be held on Wednesday as part Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations, questions remain over the participation of opposition parties.

According to sources, the Samajwadi Party (SP) will be holding peaceful demonstration on Wednesday at the Gandhi statue in GPO Park.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will lead the demonstration during which party leaders will speak on the Gandhi's ideologies and sing his 'bhajans'.

Though the SP has not declared its intention to boycott the special Assembly session, it was clear that all party MLAs would participate in event instead of going to the Vidhan Sabha.

"There is no point in attending the event when the state government is demolishing the basic ideologies of Gandhi," said an SP MLA.

The Congress has also made it clear that none of its legislators would attend the session.

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu said: "When they (state government) are adamant on killing democracy, what kind of discussion do they plan to have in the name of Mahatma Gandhi? There is no law and order in the state, there is no employment and the government is unable to do much about it."

The Congress will take out a 'Jan Aakrosh' march in the state capital.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was however undecided on its legislators attending the historic session.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit said on Tuesday that all political parties had given their consent for the special session and the opposition should attend the same.

"There can be political differences between parties but there should be no difference when it comes to discussing development and the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi," he said.

He said that the session will discuss the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and every legislator will be given a chance to talk about development in his constituency.

The session, which was originally scheduled to be held for 48-hour without a break, has now been shortened to 36.

The legislators in both the Houses have been divided into three groups and each group will attend the session for 12 hours at a stretch.

Special arrangements for food and security of the lawmakers have been made for this session which is the first of its kind.

( With inputs from IANS )