Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Thursday reached a consensus on discussing the Mahanadi water dispute on Friday after it had witnessed a series of adjournments over it for the last two days.

On Wednesday, the BJD stalled the House, accusing the Centre of taking a partisan attitude on the Mahanadi water dispute and supporting Chhattisgarh. They expressed concern over the delay in formation of the Mahanadi tribunal to adjudicate the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

On Thursday, as soon as the Assembly commenced its business, Opposition members raked up the issue and trooped to the Well demanding the stall of the Question Hour.

Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati tried to grab the Speaker's microphone by scaling the Speaker's podium.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said: "The ruling party wants to take political mileage from the Mahanadi issue and win elections. I urged the Speaker to cancel the Question Hour to discuss the dispute. Two committees have been formed - one headed by the chief minister and another by the Speaker - to discuss the issue. But, the committees have not convened a single meeting so far to discuss it. The Speaker didn't allow me to speak on it."

As the pandemonium continued, Speaker Pradeep Amat stalled the House proceedings and called for an all-party meet to break the deadlock in the afternoon. All members agreed to it.

BJD MLA Sanjay Das Burma said: "The state's interest is our prime concern. The Question Hour will be suspended for a discussion on the Mahanadi issue on Friday."

Bahinipati also said: "We would discuss the issue."

Earlier, BJD MLA Dibya Shankar Mishra had alleged that the Opposition members did not support the ruling party on the Mahanadi issue. "The people of the state are badly hit by the Chhatisgarh's decision to go ahead with the construction of the barrage and stop the flow of water. We will intensify our agitation to protect the interests of the state."

The Centre called for a meeting of five states in Calcutta on April 16 to discuss the Mahanadi issue. However, the BJD opposed the meeting convened by the Centre and called for a symposium on April 15 to discuss the issue.