The one-day session of the Legislative Assembly on Saturday in all likelihood is going to be stormy as it comes just after the consolidation of Opposition parties following the pact entered between the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC), the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Lok Sabha polls.
The three political parties coming together has taken the strength of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly to 14 in the 33-member House, which is just three short of the ruling Congress-DMK combine. The lone Independent from Mahe has thrown his weight behind the ruling party.
The trading of charges between the ruling front and the Opposition has begun with MLAs belonging to the AINRC and the AIADMK being accused of horse-trading.
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MLAs E. Theeppainthan and V. Vizeaveny (both Congress) have complained to Speaker V. Vaithilingam that they were being lured by Vaiyapuri Manikandan (AIADMK) and N.S.J Jayabal alias Ayyanar (AINRC) to switch sides.
Both the MLAs have refuted the charges of attempts to engineer defection in the Congress Legislature Party.
The combined opposition is likely to put the ruling front on the mat over its decision to present an interim Budget.
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Full Budget sought
AIADMK leader in the Assembly A. Anbalagan had announced the party decision to raise the issue vehemently on the floor of the House. The Congress had failed to present a full Budget although ₹1,500 crore was set aside in the Central budget for the Union Territory, he said.
BJP Puducherry president and nominated MLA V. Saminathan said the Opposition would be united in pointing out the failures of the government. He said the party would raise the issue of the government having succumbed to the pressure from plastic manufactures not to implement the ban. The party would raise non-disbursement of elderly pension.
An AINRC MLA said the government had failed on all fronts, including implementation of welfare schemes. The Congress had come to power criticising the AINRC for presenting vote on account during its tenure, he said.