Pandemonium, walkout mar second day of UP assembly’s winter session

Lucknow, Dec 15 (IANS) The second day of the Uttar Pradesh assembly's winter session was marred by disruptions and walkouts by opposition lawmakers who demanded a rollback of the power tariff hike effected by the Yogi Adityanath government late last month.

Legislators of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress staged a sit-in while MLAs of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) walked out.

There were heated exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches over the power tariff hike, after which Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit adjourned the house till Monday.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the opposition for what he called unruly behaviour and accused the SP of creating a ruckus to hide the misdeeds of the previous government.

Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhary denied the charge and said that till the hike in power tariffs was not rolled back, they will not allow the assembly to function.

"This government has rendered a body blow to the people, especially farmers through the steep hike in power rates," he said.

The Legislative Council too witnessed pandemonium on the same issue and the opposition members stormed into the well of the upper house as soon as the proceedings began.

The council was also adjourned till Monday after the opposition refused to budge from their demands.

Earlier, at an all-party meet, opposition party leaders had assured the assembly Speaker of cooperation in the smooth running of the house.

The winter session of both the 17th Vidhan Sabha and the Legislative Council began here on Thursday, which were later adjourned for the day after disruptions by opposition benches.

The assembly session will end on December 22.