Bhubaneswar: After a gap of three years, the Naveen Patnaik government has pulled out from the cold storage the proposal to set up a Legislative Council in the state.

The committee of legislators set up to examine the feasibility of having a Legislative Council here will visit Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, the two states that have the House, on a study tour. On returning from the tour, the committee will submit its report to the government.

The committee, which was constituted in 2015, was reactivated on Tuesday with chief minister Naveen Patnaik suggesting a study tour of the two states and placing a report on return. The Congress and the BJP had boycotted the committee.

In a press note, the chief minister's office said states such as Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have legislative council to accommodate people excelling in various fields. Their participation has helped the respective governments to formulate important policies.

Commerce and transport minister Nrushingha Sahu, who leads the committee, said: "In Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, they first had the Assembly and then the legislative council. We also have an Assembly and are now proposing a Legislative Council. So these two states need to be studied."

Political observers say the BJD government wants to revive the proposal after three and a half years to keep party leaders united before the elections.

"Many sitting MLAs are not likely to get tickets this time. They may be given an assurance to be accommodated in the state council. This will help stem dissidence," said a senior leader.

The Congress and the BJP alleged that the council would be used to rehabilitate ruling party leaders. Pradesh Congress Committee working president Bhakta Charan Das said: "It was mooted in 2015. But government remained quiet. It is being revived to rehabilitate MLAs who may not get tickets next time."

BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said: "The government floated the proposal to keep the dissidents happy. But it is not serious on the issue."

However, BJD MLA Debasis Samantray said: "No one should see politics in it. The proposal is good for the state."

In December 2014, government had announced to set up the council in an apparent bid to accommodate some party leaders who had lost the elections. Subsequently, the Assembly formed a panel on January 7, 2015, comprising three members from the BJD and one each from the Congress and the BJP.