Karnataka legislature session begins today; govt., Oppn. set to lock horns on a host of issues

The 10-day monsoon session of the State legislature, beginning on Monday, is set to witness political friction with the Opposition combine gearing up to put the government on the mat with respect to various alleged irregularities while the ruling Congress is getting ready to turn the tables by launching an attack on the Opposition.

The 10-day monsoon session of the State legislature, beginning on Monday, is set to witness political friction with the Opposition combine gearing up to put the government on the mat with respect to various alleged irregularities while the ruling Congress is getting ready to turn the tables by launching an attack on the Opposition.

The monsoon session, which is being held after the Lok Sabha polls, has assumed political importance mainly because the morale of the Opposition is high now as it managed to confine the ruling Congress to a single digit tally in the Lok Sabha polls. The Opposition is looking at the monsoon session as an opportunity to build a tempo for the Assembly bypolls and its efforts to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots ahead of the local bodies’ elections.

The reported power tussle in the government too has added to the enthusiasm of the Opposition. At the same time, the Opposition too has embarrassing issues to face such as the arrest of JD (S) leaders Prajwal Revanna and Suraj Revanna over alleged sexual abuse and the POCSO case against BJP veteran B.S. Yediyurappa.

Perhaps in the wake of the Opposition’s plans to rake up the financial irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd. and the alleged scam involving his family in the sanction of alternative sites for land losers by MUDA, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday met senior officials to prepare the government’s strategies and respond effectively to the Opposition charge.

While he emphasised the importance of Ministers coming to the session well prepared to address departmental issues and attend the session, the Chief Minister on Sunday was involved in deliberations with key officials to gather detailed insights from departmental secretaries on possible topics for discussion and instructed to be ready with supportive data.

He also urged the secretaries and heads of departments to attend the session to assist the Ministers in forming their reply effectively.

A note said that the Chief Minister also said that he would step in to intervene if necessary. Chief Secretary Rajaneesh Goel and Additional Chief Secretary L.K. Ateeq were among the senior officers’ present at the meeting.