K’taka legislature session likely to be stormy

The Karnataka assembly session beginning on Monday is likely to be stormy with the opposition set to corner the BJP government on a host of issues, such as the alleged misuse of police against political opponents and the handling of anti-CAA protests.

Anand Singh’s appointment as forest minister despite several cases pending against him and slapping of sedition charges are also expected to be raised during the first session of the year.

The main opposition held meetings on Saturday to draw their strategy for the session that will commence with Governor Vajubhai Vala addressing joint sitting of the legislative assembly and the council and conclude on February 20.

It will then meet for the nearly month-long budget session from March 2, with the budget presentation on March 5. This will the first budget of the present BJP government after coming to power last year and the fifth for Yediyurappa, who holds the finance portfolio.

Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri has decided to hold a special discussion on

March 2 and 3 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution.

Though his expectation is that the discussion should focus on the intent, specialty of the Constitution and MLAs to take part in it, rising above party politics, there are apprehensions that issues like CAA and NRC may figure in the debate.

Kageri has also made it clear that the bar on media from telecasting House proceedings will continue in this session as well, and that the public broadcaster, like in the previous one, will provide live feed to private TV channels.