BJP ready to confront State with issues in winter session

BJP ready to confront State with issues in winter session
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR, DECEMBER 3: With the winter session of the State Legislature beginning on December 13, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has selected issues to confront the Democratic Front Government with.

The issue of developing a garment zone and a massive shopping complex on Empress Mill land, revival of the weavers co-operative spinning mill and special annual grant of Rs 20 crore for development of Nagpur city befitting its status as the second capital of Maharashtra and woes of cotton growers are some of the issues identified by the party.

The party is also preparing to contest the Democratic Front Government's claim about economic bankruptcy and is planning to embarrass the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by raising the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin. The local issues are expected to give them the necessary edge.

Party legislators, particularly, the newly elected ones, would be briefed on this issues by senior leaders at a two-day strategy session to be held at aresort about 50 km from the city. The target group will be the members of Legislative Assembly, who will have to make special efforts to prove that the BJP is the most effective group in the opposition. Ironically, the BJP faces a stiff challenge in this task from its ally, the Shiv Sena. Being the single largest party on Opposition benches, the Sena legislature party leader and former chief minister Narayan Rane enjoys the status of the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House. The newly elected BJP members would be briefed to adopt methodical approach on issues to outshine vocal Sena members. Senior party leaders including former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde are expected to address the strategy session to be held on December 10 and 11.

The party has made its intentions clear by organising a lecture called `State's finances: Myths and realities'. Party leader and former Deputy chairman of the State Planning Commission Prakash Jawadekar will deliver lecture on the issue on December 10 and 11.

Theparty's local unit has planned a day-long dharna on December 13, the opening of the winter session, to highlight the issue of garment zone, revival of spinning mill and special grants for Nagpur.