Bihar legislature session from today

PATNA: The five-day monsoon session of both Houses of state legislature will begin on Friday. The Opposition is likely to launch a blistering attack on the nine-month-old Nitish Kumar government. Leader of Opposition Rabri Devi was all fire and brimstone on the eve of the assembly session with the RJD planning to unite all the Opposition parties to forge a common strategy to put the government in the dock on various issues. Stating that the government had failed on all the fronts, Rabri said she had invited leaders of all Opposition parties such as Congress, CPI(ML), CPM and CPI to her official chamber on Friday to chalk out a common strategy to take on the government. Rabri said her party would try to put the government in the dock for its proposal to appoint teachers on contract. It will also press for regular appointment of teachers in primary and secondary schools besides regularisation of jobs of 'shiksha mitras'. The short session might be extended if necessary. CM Nitish Kumar said the programme was chalked out as per the business. If more business are included the presiding officers of the two Houses can extend the session, he added. Reacting to the attacking mood of the Opposition, parliamentary affairs minister Ramshray Prasad Singh said the government was ready to give a befitting reply to the Opposition in the legislature on any issue. The legislative council and the assembly each will have five sittings. On the opening day after the remarks of the presiding officers, ordinances would be laid on the table and second supplementary budget of 2006-07 will also be presented.