From drought to NEP, Karnataka Opposition preps arsenal to attack Congress

The Belagavi legislature session starting December 4 will be the first after the JD(S) decided to join the BJP-led NDA for the Lok Sabha polls next year. It is also the first session for R Ashoka as the Leader of the Opposition.

Bengaluru: The BJP-JD(S) combine will move an adjournment motion to raise an array of issues against the Congress government in the upcoming Belagavi legislature session, which is being seen as a litmus test for Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka.

The decision to jointly move the motion was made at a meeting Ashoka had with JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy on Friday.

The Belagavi session starting December 4 will be the first after the JD(S) decided to join the BJP-led NDA for the Lok Sabha polls next year. It is also the first session for Ashoka as the Leader of the Opposition.

“In six months, this Congress government has committed 60 mistakes,” Ashoka said on Saturday. “We have enough weapons in our arsenal,” he said.

The Opposition has listed out issues ranging from drought to the withdrawal of NEP.

“With 223 out of 236 taluks under drought, the situation is unprecedented. All that ministers did was to shed crocodile tears sitting in Vidhana Soudha and point fingers at the Union government,” Ashoka said.

Ashoka said the Opposition will raise the “failure” of the government in maintaining law and order, including Friday’s panic-inducing bomb threat to schools in Bengaluru.

Specifically, the Opposition is expected to raise Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s controversial statement on how BJP leaders will have to “salute” a Muslim Speaker.

“We will also raise the issue of this government politicising education, especially NEP that the Union government has brought for the betterment of everyone,” Ashoka said.

The contentious caste census, which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wants to act upon, is on the Opposition’s agenda. “Vokkaligas, Lingayats, Reddys...they’re all against it. We’ll discuss this, too,” Ashoka said.

Problems in the implementation of the Congress’ five guarantees will figure in the Opposition’s attack. “They gave Rs 2,000 to women one month and nothing for the next three months,” Ashoka said.

Developmental issues concerning North Karnataka, including the government’s “failure” to take up irrigation projects, will be raised, Ashoka said.

The government’s decision to withdraw consent given to the CBI to probe Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s assets will be also be raised.

To demonstrate Opposition unity, Ashoka said there is a proposal for BJP and JD(S) MLAs to hold a joint legislature meeting. He added that the BJP top brass will soon announce a chief whip and deputy leader of the opposition.