HP budget session from tomorrow, set to be a stormy affair

SHIMLA: The month-long budget session of the Vidhan Sabha, starting Wednesday, is expected to raise the political heat in the state with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) set to corner the government over the issue corruption and unemployment and the ruling Congress set to counter it with the achievements of the Virbhadra government.

The BJP legislators have already demanded a discussion on its chargesheet against the Virbhadra government that was submitted to the governor in December last year.

“Corruption in Virbhadra Singh government has spread by leaps and bounds. No steps were taken to curb it,” says Shimla legislator Suresh Bhardwaj, who is also the BJP's chief whip.

"We have demanded a discussion on corruption," he said.

In all likelihood, the BJP will also raise the pre-poll promise of unemployment allowance announced by Congress. The issue of unemployment allowance has come in handy for the BJP as it has virtually divided the Congress. A strong section of party leaders are demanding that the government fulfil it's commitment on unemployment allowance but chief minister Virbhadra Singh has been saying that it is not possible for any government, whether at the centre or state, to grant the allowance.

On the other hand, the ruling Congress would use the achievements of the Virbhadra Singh government to counter the BJP inside the Vidhan Sabha.