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UP winter session begins today: Supplementary budget, Vande Mataram discussion on top of assembly agenda
Opposition gears up to corner government on codeine syrup racket, SIR, BLO deaths and other issues of public importance
Even as the winter session of the state legislature is set to begin here on Friday, a special discussion to mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram and the state government’s first supplementary budget for 2025-26 top the Uttar Pradesh assembly’s agenda. The supplementary budget will be presented on Monday.
For its part, the Opposition is working on a strategy to corner the state government and raise issues of public interest, including the controversy surrounding the codeine cough syrup, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), death of booth level officers and the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.
A discussion may also be demanded on unemployment, inflation and the controversy over a UP minister’s remarks defending Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s act of removing a woman doctor’s hijab at a public event in Patna.
“We propose to raise issues concerning the controversy around the codeine cough syrup, SIR irregularities, law and order, rising inflation, unemployment, the issue concerning fertilisers and procurement of paddy etc,” senior Samajwadi Party leader and leader of opposition in the assembly Mata Prasad Pandey said.
Pandey added he would meet other leaders of opposition parties for smooth floor coordination on Monday.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ said her party would demand a CBI inquiry into the codeine cough syrup nexus, a discussion on death of BLOs, renaming of MGNREGA, pollution and various other important issues. Both Pandey and Mishra said they have already demanded a longer winter session to discuss various important issues. The demand was made at the all-party meeting that assembly speaker Satish Mahana convened on Thursday to seek cooperation of leaders of various political parties.
Besides chief minister Yogi Adityanath, minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna, leader of opposition Mata Prasad Pandey and CLP leader Aradhana Mishra Mona, those who attended the all-party meeting included Apna Dal (Sone Lal) leader Ram Nivas Verma, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, NISHAD party leader Ramesh Singh, BSP leader Uma Shankar Singh and Jansatta Loktantrik Dal leader Vinod Saroj.
“Yes, I have sought cooperation from all the leaders. I have told them that the people want to see their representatives raise the issues of public interest and the members should make their point in a positive manner with decency and in accordance with the parliamentary traditions,” said Mahana.
Mahana, who also presided over a meeting of the business advisory committee of the house, said a special discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram would be held on Monday. There are indications that the discussion would begin at 2pm. The state government would also present its first supplementary budget for 2025-26 in the house on Monday.
The house will be adjourned for the day on Friday, the first day of the winter session after paying homage to sitting Samajwadi Party member from Ghosi Sudhakar Singh who died last month.
The state government also proposes to carry out legislative business during the winter session. Besides the eight ordinances promulgated after the Monsoon session, the state government will also table bills to replace the ordinances along with some others.
The eight ordinances promulgated after the state legislature’s Monsoon session include Uttar Pradesh Entitlement for Pension and Validation Ordinance 2025, Uttar Pradesh Nagar Nigam (amendment) Ordinance 2025, Uttar Pradesh Ease of Doing Business (amendment of provisions) Ordinance 2025 and the ordinances to amend the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities law.
UP ASSEMBLY A MODEL FOR LEGISLATURES IN COUNTRY: YOGI
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said the winter session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature would provide an opportunity to the members to raise issues of public concern in the house. Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha has become a model for legislatures in the country, he said at an all-party meeting on the eve of the session.
The state government would give a positive reply to every question that the opposition members may raise in the house, he said.
Emphasising that efforts would be made to find a solution to issues in accordance with the suggestions of members, he said the Vidhan Sabha had a discussion on Uttar Pradesh Vision Document-2047 for 27 hours in the last session.
Public representatives are cooperating in removing irregularities in the voter list in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, he added.
