The winter session of the Karnataka legislature starting from Monday promises to be stormy with the Opposition BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) chalking out a joint strategy to attack the ruling Congress on various issues, including drought relief.
For the first time after the pre-poll alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections was announced, the two Opposition parties will be working together inside the legislature even as the Congress is also set to counter the attack. This is also the first winter session in Belagavi after the Congress government was formed earlier in May.
On Friday, leaders of the BJP and the JD(S), including Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, and former Minister G.T. Deve Gowda, met in Bengaluru to map their strategies in the Houses to corner the Congress. “The meeting also discussed who raises which issues. It was decided not to have confusion inside the Houses,” sources added.
“The government’s response to the farmers’ distress in the drought year has not been satisfactory, while corruption has affected the administration. Irrigation projects have not been given priority or funding and the four guarantees have had a lion share in the State Budget, affecting the development. We will move an adjournment motion, seeking detailed discussion in the houses,” JD(S) sources told The Hindu. “Corruption in public works and in transfer of officials by those in the Congress government will be raised prominently, besides issues on recruitment scam,” they said.
BJP sources said they would raise the issue of withdrawing ₹4,000 annually to farmers introduced by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in addition to ₹6,000 given as part of Kisan Samman. “The Congress to fund its guarantees has withdrawn it. The additional sum would have helped farmers in the year of distress,” they said.
Incidentally, the JD(S) charged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his son and former legislator Yathindra, and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar with indulging in corruption. The Congress attacked Mr. Kumaraswamy of “power theft”, and both camps had indulged in personal attacks recently.
On the other hand, the government led by Mr. Siddaramaiah is also preparing to face the combined attack of the Opposition. In a bid to blunt the attack on inadequate drought relief, the Chief Minister announced interim drought relief to farmers of ₹1,000 per hectare, putting the onus now on the BJP-led Centre to release drought relief.
A senior Congress leader said that while the BJP in the State may raise the issue of drought relief, the fact is that the State’s plea for NDRF fund from the Centre has not been addressed yet. “Despite limited resources, State is doing its best. In terms of irrigation projects, the Centre is yet to notify the Krishna II award that would allow us to implement UKP-2 and utilise Krishna waters. While the Mahadayi project is held up for want of permission, the Centre is yet to approve Mekedatu. We are ready to discuss the drought and irrigation or anything that is brought up.”
Opposition plans to move privilege motion against Zameer
Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan’s earlier statement that the BJP members are now compelled to show respect with folded hands to the Muslim Speaker (U.T. Khader) in the legislature is set to rock both the Houses of the State legislatures as the combined Opposition is planning to move a privilege motion against him.
Sources who attended Friday’s meeting of Opposition parties also confirmed that they discussed the option of moving the privilege motion or adjournment motion against the Minister, but they were likely to move a privilege motion. Congress sources, however, lamented that political issues, including that of Mr. Zameer may eat into the precious time of the legislature.
