Speaker seeks support for smooth functioning of House in UP budget session

In an all-party meeting ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Budget Session, Speaker Satish Mahana on Sunday sought the support of members in the smooth functioning of the House.

The session will start on Monday with the Governor's address to the joint sitting of the legislative assembly and the legislative council.

The speaker also requested all members to be present for the address and proceedings.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, members of the ruling BJP as well as opposition parties. Though Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav was not present, the party was represented by its chief whip in the assembly Manoj Kumar Pandey.

In this first session of the year, discussion on Budget-2023, is going to be held according to parliamentary norms, the chief minister said.

"The House is the place for meaningful discussions. All of us ran the House during the Covid period, which was appreciated in the country and the world. Uttar Pradesh is the state with the largest population of the country, which is on the path of progress," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said, "We have been re-elected because of good governance. Everyone will cooperate in the running of the House, this is a good tradition."

Problems can be resolved only when the House is functioning and this will keep the state on the path of development, he said.

"We welcome the assurance of the Opposition for the smooth conduct of the session," Khanna said.

SP leader Pandey assured the support of his party for positive discussions during the session.

Congress leader Aradhana Shukla Mona, Jansatta Dal leader Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, Apna Dal's Ram Niwas Verma, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, Nishad Party's Anil Kumar Tripathi, Bahujan Samaj Party's Uma Shankar Singh besides others were present in the meeting.