Stage set for joint session of Karnataka legislature, amid Hijab row in the state
Bengaluru(PTI): The joint session of the Karnataka Legislature that will begin from Monday is likely to be rocked by the ongoing Hijab row and related law and order situation in the state, allegations of kickbacks by contractors association and Mekedatu project implementation issue, among others.
The 10-day session that will go on till February 25, will begin with Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot addressing the joint sitting of members of both Legislative Assembly and the Council on the first day.
This will be Gehlot's first address to the joint session, after taking over as the Governor in July, last year.
Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Saturday said that after several years, the Governor will take the grand steps of the Vidhana Soudha to enter the legislative assembly chamber, the venue of the joint session.
The session is expected to be stormy as the principal opposition party, the Congress is likely to corner the government on several issues, including the hijab controversy, and the related law and order situation, with protests in this regard turning violent in some parts.
The Congress is also likely to raise the issue of 40 per cent kickback charges levelled by the Karnataka State Contractors Association against politicians, Ministers and bureaucrats.
The issue relating to Mekedatu project is also likely to come up in the wake of Congress' recent padayatra demanding for its implementation, by violating COVID curbs.
While the Congress is likely to target the government for delay in implementation of the project and getting clearances from the centre, the BJP, which has been accusing the grand old party of trying to politicise the issue is likely to counter it for going ahead with the padayatra in violation of COVID curbs, along with reports of several of its leaders and workers being infected by the virus during the march.
Issues relating to the government's handling of economy, getting funds from the centre, "unilateral" announcement of the river linking project in the union budget, COVID situation, among other issues are also likely to come up for discussion during the session.
Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah has convened a meeting of Congress legislature party on February 14, to discuss the strategy for the session.
The contentious anti-conversion bill that was passed by the Assembly during the winter session in Belagavi in December, is likely to be taken up in the Legislative Council during the session.
Though the bill was introduced in the Council during the winter session, the government did not push for it as it lacked numbers in the upper house. With the ruling BJP now having comfortable numbers, with the support of an independent, after the recent MLC polls from the local authorities constituencies, the bill is likely to be taken up during this session.
This is also the first session for senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad, after he was recently appointed by the party as its leader in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
JD(S) that has been banking on the issues relating to regional pride is likely to target the government on issues relating to the subjects such as alleged lack of funding to Kannada University, jobs for locals, also farmers and irrigation issue among others.
The session has also come at a time when Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is under intense pressure from BJP legislators to expand or rejig the cabinet at the earliest, with assembly election slated in 2023.
According to the Assembly secretariat it has received 2,062 questions, 81 calling attention notices and 31 notices under Rule 351, from legislators.
Speaker Kageri has said his office has received two bills - Karnataka Stamps (Amendment) Bill and Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill- so far for the session.
He also said he will consider allotting two days for a discussion on electoral reforms in the upcoming session.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
