Set against the backdrop of a new ministry taking over in the state, the winter session of the State Legislature beginning here on Monday is unlikely to be stormy until and unless Rane and his MLAs decide to play out their threat or the terrorism debate fails to retain the dignity of what was witnessed in Parliament early this week.

And if indications given by some Opposition MLAs are anything to go by, it will be after a long time that the Opposition does not boycott the customary tea party at the winter session. “It's unlikely this time,” a BJP legislator told The Indian Express.

Not expected to last beyond ten working days under the circumstances, the Opposition apparently will be short on ammunition than it usually has. Two of the biggest issues that had the potential to cause a ruckus are the Mumbai terror attacks and Vidarbha’s farmer suicides. With both the BJP and the Shiv Sena assuming a non-confrontationist approach in Parliament over the Mumbai attacks, it is unlikely that they would raise the pitch over the issue in the State Legislature.

Besides, with the terrorism issue not helping them in the Assembly polls, the BJP will have little strength of conviction to take on the government on the issue.

The party’s fiery debater in the Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, MLA from West Nagpur, admitted that the Opposition line was not likely to be different from the one taken in Parliament. “But we will still give the government an earful on its failure. We will say we are with you in this hour of crisis, though you’re useless,” Fadnavis said.

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