New Delhi, July 5: The BJP made good its promise of not allowing any business transaction on the first day of the budget session of Parliament and stuck to its demand that the United Progressive Alliance government drop “tainted” ministers from its cabinet.

A BJP brigade of MPs forced Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who has had to rein in an unruly House since the day he took charge, to adjourn the Lok Sabha a little after noon. Chatterjee adjourned the House for the entire day sensing the Opposition’s belligerent mood.

The Rajya Sabha was just a shade less noisy, with the Opposition allowing some business to take place. Soon after the new members took oath, BJP MPs shouted slogans and forced an early adjournment of the House.

Yesterday, Chatterjee had made a last-ditch effort at an all-party meeting to get the Opposition to agree to a discussion on the presence of “tainted” ministers in the cabinet and the recent sacking of four governors. “I will appeal to all sections of Parliament to co-operate so that the House can function,” said Chatterjee.

The Speaker has a delicate task on hand. There has been muted criticism earlier of Chatterjee being partisan. Besides, Chatterjee had to face a hostile Opposition from his first day as Speaker. The issue of “tainted” ministers rocked the House and the veteran CPM MP had to use his discretion to keep it from snowballing.

“As a Speaker I am neither here to bail out the government nor to suggest issues to the Opposition,” he said. Chatterjee gave evidence of this when he reprimanded the government this morning for the absence of minister of state for agriculture Kanti Lal Bhuria from the House. Bhuria was to present business papers listed against his name.

When BJP chief whip V.K. Malhotra protested the minister’s absence, Chatterjee said: “The honourable minister should have been present in the House. I agree with Mr Malhotra.”

Chatterjee is relying on the wide sweep of acceptability that he enjoys among political friends and foes to make his task a little less heavy. So far, Chatterjee has not had any success. On the eve of the budget session, his and the Prime Minister’s appeal for restraint had fallen on deaf ears.