“Can’t reveal internal discussions”: BJD MP says party will reveal stand on Bill replacing Delhi Ordinance at “appropriate time”

New Delhi [India]: Opening up on his party not clarifying or articulating its position on a Bill to replace the Centre’s Ordinance on control of services in the national capital, Amar Patnaik, a member of the Rajya Sabha from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday said “internal discussions” within the party cannot be revealed and the party will take a decision at an appropriate time.

The Bill is scheduled to be taken up in both Houses next week. “The party will clear its stand at an appropriate time. Let the Bill be introduced first. The party will take a decision and the honourable Chief Minister of Odisha and our party president (Naveen Patnaik) will take a decision at an appropriate time,” Patnaik said.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeks to replace the Ordinance brought by the Centre in May, excluding some services from the ‘legislative competence’ of the Delhi legislative assembly.

The Ordinance was brought days in light of the Supreme Court judgement on the control of services in Delhi.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the Janta Dal United (JDU) issued a three-line whip to its party MPs, including Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, to support the party’s stance and vote against the Bill replacing the Ordinance on control of services in Delhi.

The whip to Harivansh, despite him holding a constitutional post, has raised eyebrows amid “frosty relations” between him and his party.

JD(U) chief whip in the Rajya Sabha, Aneel Prasad Hegde, said all party MPs have been asked to support the party’s stance vis-a-vis the Bill, should it come to a vote next week.

“Whenever crucial Bills come up for discussion, not only the JD(U) but all parties issue whip to their MPs. We have issued a whip to all our MPs. All our MPs have been issued the whip,” he said.

The three-line whip issued to JD(U) MPs is applicable from July 27 to August 11, when the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Parliament will end.

JD(U) is part of a 26-party Opposition alliance, which recently christened itself as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A).