As the Budget session of the state assembly starts on Tuesday, the battlelines seem to have been drawn with the Opposition Congress and BJP ready to take the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) head on over contentious issues including the Pipili ganagrape case and more recently the liquor tragedy that has claimed 37 lives. The ruling BJD, ostensibly on a high after sweeping the recently concluded three-tier panchayat polls, would look to step up the ante against the Congress led UPA government at the Centre.
The BJD would draw huge strength from its party supremo and state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's tirade against the controversial manner of constitution of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) where he has found support from counterparts of seven states including Trinamool Congress chieftain Mamata Banerjee.
Livid over the NCTC issue, Patnaik on Monday has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, opposing the high-handed manner in which the Centre has dealt with terrorism and extremism without prior consultations with the states.
The ruling party is also set to capitalise on the Centre's inaction over the state's proposal to levy Mineral Resource Rent Tax at the rate of 50 per cent on windfall gains made by miners.
On the other hand, the Opposition is braced up to corner the Naveen regime over the gangrape case as well as hooch tragedy which have brought in huge embarrassment for the ruling party.