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 Chatha, Chander Parkash, Jarnail Singh, Vinesh and Mohammed Israil, whose questions were listed, were absent when their names were called. And Question Hour, consisting of 20 questions, lasted barely 40 minutes. Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, who on Tuesday wrapped discussion on budget estimates which the Congress did not attend, hit out at the principal opposition Congress MLAs for not coming to the House on time. "It is very unfortunate...Opposition benches are empty even as Question Hour has started...," Saini interjected as Question Hour began and took a swipe at the Opposition. "The Congress appears "hatash aur nirash" so much so that its members are not present to ask their listed questions." Among the Congress MLAs who had arrived in the House before their turn to ask questions included Akram Khan (Jagadhari), Kuldeep Vats (Badli) and Balwan Singh Doulatpuria (Fatehabad). Before education minister Mahipal Dhanda answered the last question of BJP MLA Ghanshayam Dass, more than 20 minutes were still left for the Question Hour to end and the Congress MLAs who were late in reaching the House urged speaker Harvinder Kalyan to take up their questions also. A section of the Congress MLAs Ashok Kumar Arora, Chander Parkash, Induraj Singh Narwal and Geeta Bhukkal were on their feet, asking the speaker to let Congress MLAs ask their questions. Expressing displeasure, Kalyan termed the absence a "disrespect" to the proceedings. "So many MLAs coming late is a disrespect to the Question Hour...I will not allow today...," a visibly upset speaker was heard saying. At this, parliamentary affairs minister Dhanda also trained guns at the Congress. "If we are not punctual...what type of message will it send down the line," Dhanda said while the speaker permitted Independent MLA Devender Kadyan to speak, leading to uproar in the House again. Din prevailed in the House as Congress members vociferously protested when Ganaur MLA Devender Kadyan touched the issue of three Independent MLAs fielding Satish Nandal, Independent, to contest Rajya Sabha election. The Congress MLAs aggressively opposed the Speaker's decision to allow Kadyan to speak. What Kadyan said drowned in the din. Senior Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian objected that when he raised the Rajya Sabha election issue in the House on Tuesday, Speaker did not permit him and on the contrary gave permission to Independent MLA Kadyan to speak on the similar matter. At this the chief minister took the floor and hit back at the Congress. He alleged that Congress itself was guilty of undermining democratic principles and dismissed Kadian's "murder of democracy" accusations as politically motivated. "The issue here is that an Independent MLA wants to air his grievance...he should be heard," Saini, who was visibly angry, said. Taking umbrage to Congress MLAs disrupting him, the chief minister said: "Calm down...we also know how to speak loudly..." Referring to Kadian, Saini said the senior Congress leader had questioned the necessity of fielding a third candidate when only two Rajya Sabha seats were vacant. "It is the Congress which has been throttling democracy. Anyone can contest as an Independent," Saini said even as CLP leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda asked how the issue was being discussed when discussion was not allowed on Tuesday. "It is not a discussion, but an Independent MLA wants to share his pain," the CM countered Hooda. The crossfire between the treasury and opposition benches continued for about 25 minutes with speaker Kalyan reiterating that the Rajya Sabha election issue was outside assembly jurisdiction. "Therefore, this issue cannot be raised in the House...no discussion will be allowed." Amid the uproar, Saini fired another salvo: "This is not a matter that should be discussed in the House, but Congress must apologise for its 'murder of democracy' remarks." However, the aftershocks of the Rajya Sabha elections continued in the House amid allegations and counter-allegations between Congress and treasury benches even as the House was adjourned sine die, nearly a month after assembly session started on February 20....