Karnataka Assembly winter session begins today amid boundary dispute, forthcoming polls

The 10-day winter session of the state legislature will begin at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Monday amid the simmering border dispute with Maharashtra.

With Assembly elections scheduled to be held in April-May next year, this will be the last session of the incumbent Bommai government in the border district. The session is crucial for both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress and JD(S) as they look to woo voters from Kalyana Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka.

The BJP is likely to focus on the development of border areas and Kannada language. The government will seek to get approval for the Kannada Language Development Bill and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority Bill (BMLTA). Both were tabled in the last session and will be taken up for discussion this time.

The Opposition is likely to corner the government on the alleged theft of voters’ data and the move to provide internal reservation among Scheduled Castes. The other issues are sugarcane growers’ demand for higher fair and remunerative price (FRP) and delay in polls to rural local bodies.

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The government is expected to come under scrutiny on the progress of investigation into the Mangaluru cooker blast case.

The Congress may also sharpen its attack and step up allegations of “40 per cent corruption” in execution of public works. The party alleged that the BJP raked up the border dispute for diverting attention from real issues such as inflation, unemployment and corruption.

As the government decided to increase quota for SCs and STs by 2 per cent and 4 per cent respectively, leaders of various communities are expected to stage demonstrations before the Soudha seeking an upward revision of reservation for them. Significant among them is the long-pending demand of Panchamashali Lingayats for quota under Category 2A of Backward Classes from the present Category 3B. Kurubas, who are presently OBCs, have been demanding to be bracketed under ST. Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas, too, have been seeking a higher percentage of quota.

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The Opposition might question the government on the delay in getting clearances for the Mekedatu project and tardy progress of other irrigation projects.

As many as 10 bills, including those related to land reforms and Kannada comprehensive development which were tabled in the previous session in Bengaluru, are likely to come up for discussion.

The private member bill is likely to be tabled by BJP spokesperson N Ravikumar. This bill is likely to seek a ban on sale of halal meat in the state. The legislative Council will elect a new chairman on December 22. The ruling BJP is likely to field senior member Basavaraj Horatti for the post.