BJP MLAs sported black clothes on their mouths and sat in the Well of the House in the post-lunch session after the Leader of the Opposition's microphone was found switched off.

The BJP called it "silent treatment". Nand Kishore Yadav was talking about Monday's timer blast in Patna.

Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary and minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary made repeated pleas to Nand Kishore and BJP members to sit on their chairs and resolve the issue through talks but it failed to move the opposition. After the industry department's budget demand, the Speaker said he was adjourning the House with a "heavy heart".

The incident took place during Zero Hour when a BJP MLA raised the blastissue. Nand Kishore said the matter was serious and the government should issue a statement. As BJP MLAs stormed into the Well of the House, water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the government could share information on the incident but for a proper statement it would have to wait till Monday.

As Nand Kishore rose to speak, he found his microphone switched off. As an angry Nand Kishore joined MLAs in the Well of the House, complete chaos prevailed with the reporters' table being removed from its place and the Speaker warning BJP MLAs with action. The House was adjourned but Nand Kishore and Vijay Choudhary made angry remarks at each other.

The Speaker called a meeting of leaders of political parties. But the BJP refused to attend it. "As a tradition, the chief minister and Leader of Opposition's microphones are never switched off. The moment they stand up they are allowed to speak. But my microphone was switched off because the government does not have answers and wants to escape," Nand Kishore said.

Legal experts say there is no legal provision forbidding the switching off of any microphone. "I do not think that any legality is involved," Patna High Court senior advocate Y.V. Giri said. Old-timers say Nand Kishore is right. "But the Opposition should have a flexible approach. In a democracy, differences are trashed out through talks," leader of the RJD in the Assembly, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, said.

Industry's demand

The Assembly passed the industry department's budgetary demand, to the tune of over Rs 789 crore, for 2015-16.

Din over paddy

The treasury and Opposition benches trades charges in the Council over paddy procurement and alleged distress sale. Food and consumer protection minister Shyam Rajak, in reply to a query raised by BJP member Rajneesh Kumar, said the State Food Corporation, primary agriculture cooperative societies and the marketing board have procured 17.98 lakh tonnes of paddy till March 30 and paid Rs 2,887 crore to farmers on account of minimum support price and bonus.

Additional reporting by Anand Raj