Oppn BJP stages walkout as Congress members come late to Himachal Pradesh Assembly

After waiting for about 15 minutes, the opposition walked out, raising slogans.After the proceedings resumed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the government completed 100 days on Tuesday and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed a press conference which took some time and he had informed the speaker about it.Chauhan said the BJP was issueless and repeatedly raised slogans and staged walkouts.

A piquant situation was created in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday as the opposition BJP members staged a walkout when the Congress MLAs came late to the house after the lunch break.

The speaker had adjourned the house till 2.20 pm for lunch and the BJP members returned to the house after the break but treasury benches were empty. After waiting for about 15 minutes, the opposition walked out, raising slogans.

After the proceedings resumed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the government completed 100 days on Tuesday and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed a press conference which took some time and he had informed the speaker about it.

Chauhan said the BJP was issueless and repeatedly raised slogans and staged walkouts. ''It has happened several times that the chief minister was not in the house during the session and the Congress cooperated in the conduct of the house and advised the BJP to do a meaningful discussion,'' he said.

However, BJP leader Bikram Singh said Chauhan was giving a wrong explanation of the events and claimed that no information was given about the press conference of the chief minister. He said it is the responsibility of the ruling party to conduct the house and it should admit its mistake.

The speaker said he would look into the matter.

Later, talking to media persons, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma said the BJP was fully cooperating in the conduct of the proceedings of the house but the government was not serious.

Sharma said no Congress member returned to the house for fifteen minutes after the lunch break. Even after the bell rang, only three Congress members were present in the house, he added.