Bangalore: A ten-day session of both Houses of Karnataka Legislature will begin Monday during which the opposition Congress-JDS combine is expected to train their guns against ruling BJP on a host of issues, including delay
in appointment of Lokayukta and recent strictures passed by
Supreme Court against Speaker K G Bopaiah.
The session, which opens with the customary address by
Governor H R Bhardwaj to the joint sitting of both Houses,
is expected to be stormy as Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda
faces the combined opposition and pro-Yeddyurappa camp.
The Congress and JDS would be targetting the government on
what it terms as a "tardy" pace of relief works in drought-hit
areas and also power crisis faced by the state among others.
The face-off between the Governor and the Government over
Lokayukta appointment is bound to generate a heated debate in
both Houses and also the Supreme Court rap on Bopaiah over
disqualification of five independent MLAs.
The opposition will demand Bopaiah`s resignation on moral
grounds, but the presiding officer is unlikely to face a
no-confidence motion as the rules keep opposition parties at
bay as they have to give a 14-day notice for such an exercise.
The BJP has not decided on convening its Legislature Party
meeting, an exercise it performs during every legislature
session keeping in mind the activities by rebels, who have been
demanding reinstatement of Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister.
The BJP,however, has convened a meeting of its top
leaders at its party office tomorrow to discuss issues related
to the party and the government.
A source in BJP said the meeting could transform itself
into a "core committee" meet to decide on ministry expansion
to fill up seven berths, a development unlikely to happen
under the volatile situation the ruling party is facing.
Last year Bhardwaj began his joint address but abandoned it
after few minutes and left after the Opposition created
pandemonium urging him to discontinue the speech as the BJP
had called him a `political agent`.
BJP says this year`s address by the Governor will be a
smooth affair.
PTI
