Corepatis and Charged Criminals in both the benches, 15th Orissa Assembly commences its 1st session

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

With at least 52 of the 147 MLAs having declared criminal cases out of whom 32 belong to the ruling BJD, and 76 men of crores with more than half of them (62 out of 117) in the ruling party – belonging to a class totally different from that of their electors – the Fifteenth House of Representatives of Orissa will commence its first session today.

The session will start with Governor of Orissa, Dr. Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir addressing the Assembly.

Astute legislator Narasingh Mishra has been elected the leader of Congress Legislative Party that comprises 9 crorepatis and similar number of members with criminal cases (56% each of its strength). Speaker Niranjan Pujari will formally declare him Leader of Opposition, as the House starts.

K.V.Singdeo will be in charge of the BJP group that has 80% of its member with declared criminal cases and 40% belonging to the class of Crorepatis.

Incidentally, when average wealth of Congress members is Rs.1.92 crores and of BJD members is Rs.2.03 crores, the average worth of BJP members is Rs.13.44 crores.

Crorepatis and criminals being conspicuous by their presence in the House, and compradors having their collaborators in administration, it would be worth watching how the Assembly proceeds.