Imphal, February 27: Training his guns yet again on the Government, MPP president O Joy today said that the DPA would continue to boycott the Assembly session as long as it is presided by the Speaker whose name has been linked to the main accused in the killing of Elizabeth, James Kuki.

Joy also said that it is unprecedented for the Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance Minister, not to read out the financial report during the Budget session of the Assembly.

Speaking to newsmen at the Opposition room today, O Joy questioned why the ruling SPF, which has 40 members in the 60 member Assembly, is running scared of having a full debate on the allegations raised by the NSCN (IM) on the floor of the House.

If the SPF wants to disown the allegations, then they should do so on the floor of the House when it is brought up for a debate, he maintained.

Joy also questioned why the ruling Front is so scared of tabling the no confidence moved against the Speaker.

The very action of the Government suggests that it agrees with the stand of the Opposition, opined Joy.

Lambasting the ruling Front of violating Parliamentary democracy, Joy said that the issue concerning the Speaker cannot be discussed by the Cabinet and added that if the Cabinet had actually discussed the issue concerning the Speaker, then it is a slap on the face of Parliamentary democracy.

A Speaker is above party loyalty, said the MPP president and added that if the ruling Front had discussed the no confidence motion moved against the Speaker at the Cabinet, then it should be condemned.

The MPP president further said that it is against Parliamentary norms for the Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, not to read out his Budget speech inside the House during the session.

It is incumbent on the person holding the Finance portfolio to inform the Assembly why the Budget has been prepared in such a manner, maintained Joy.

To a question from the media, Joy said that the Opposition staged a walk out as soon as the Speaker entered the Assembly.

The walk out cannot be construed as being absent from the House, he reasoned and added that all the Opposition MLAs signed on the attendance register.

The walk out is a symbolic protest, he added.

Joy reiterated that the Opposition would continue to boycott the Assembly as long as the Speaker presides and added that they will stop the boycott only if the Deputy Speaker presides.

Stating that the DPA is working towards working out a consensus formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Joy said that the MPP is projecting Dr Nimaichand Luwang as the potential consensus candidate of the DPA.