CHANDIGARH, March 19 -- Until the second last sitting of the Budget session, the Congress MLAs rarely missed Question Hour. The opposition lawmakers whose questions were listed eagerly awaited their turn and sometimes implored the speaker to permit them to ask the question even if the designated 60 minute window was over.

But on Wednesday when the final sitting of the ongoing session began, the Opposition benches were empty. As the House assembled at 11 am only one Congress legislator Renu Bala (Sadhaura segment) was present. The MLA, who is at the centre of a cross-voting storm, in her question wanted to know the fate of the proposed construction of a bridge in her segment.

A section of the other Congress MLAs, Jassi Petwar, Mandeep Ch...