Ranchi, Sept. 5: A flummoxed Opposition, which kept away from the first day of the Assembly’s monsoon session today, today requested Governor Ved Marwah to intervene to break the deadlock over the duration of the House, while sticking to its stand that at least 10 working days were needed for transacting any “meaningful” legislative business.

Earlier, a reluctant government, during a meeting of the business advisory committee after the House adjourned for the day, maintained that the Opposition should specify in writing why it needed a longer session and enumerate the issues it proposed to take up during the extra days.

Chief minister Arjun Munda said once the government gets to know what the Opposition wants to do during an extended session, he would try to pack the extra matter within the four available working days, if necessary by extending the working hours of the House every day. But he remained non-committal on extending the duration of the House beyond four days and said the matter would again be taken up by the business advisory committee on Monday morning.

“If the government wants us to specify the business for the extra days, we will do that. Discussions can be taken up by extending the working hours. But what will happen to the questions that the members want to ask?” leader of Opposition Stephen Marandi said, though he too deferred a “final decision” till Monday.

In their memorandum to the governor, the Opposition leaders listed a large number of issues which needed the attention of the House, including law and order, displacement, corruption, sluggish industrialisation, flight of labour and employment situation. “The governor told us that he will have to consult constitutional experts on the matter. But we requested him to intervene in his special capacity as the custodian of the Scheduled Areas and instruct the government to extend the session,” CPI(ML) member Mahendra Prasad Singh said.

The chief minister earlier condemned the Opposition’s “conduct” in keeping away from a sitting where obituary references were made.

“The Opposition does not have time even for condolence meetings. This is a blot on the public life of these leaders. We can differ on all issues but not on obituaries. This was a matter of sentiments and the conduct of the Opposition has set a wrong precedent,” Munda said.