The monsoon session of the state legislature begins on Monday, as Opposition parties up the ante against the government over its apparent failures in dealing with floods in different parts of the state and cases of alleged corruption that have dogged the government.
The ruling BJP, which is on the defensive, has also chalked out a strategy to corner the opposition Congress by announcing to initiate probes against cases of corruption during Siddaramaiah’s tenure as chief minister.
The 10-day session is expected to go on till September 23. The Opposition parties are likely to continue their demand for a judicial probe into allegations of corruption levelled by the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association.
While the government under Basavaraj Bommai has rubbished the allegations as politically motivated, it has provided enough fodder for the Opposition parties to target the government.
The flooding witnessed in parts of Bengaluru due to heavy rainfall over the last fortnight is also expected to feature prominently in discussions during the session.
The ruling and Opposition parties have blamed each other for floods along the Outer Ring Road that resulted in estimated damages worth Rs 250 crore to IT firms, apart from losses faced by various apartments and layouts due to waterlogging.
Congress has demanded a White Paper from the government on encroachments cleared by BBMP and infrastructure woes in the city.
Communal flare-ups
Communal flare-ups in parts of the state over the last two months are also expected to feature during debates in both houses of the legislature.
Murders in Dakshina Kannada district, repeated communal incidents in Shivamogga district, Idgah maidan row, controversy over saffronisation of textbooks are also expected to be discussed during the short monsoon session.
The government will also introduce a few bills, including the one on managing Bengaluru’s traffic effectively.