Don't allow curtailment of budget session: K'taka LoP urges Speaker
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Monday urged the Speaker not to allow the ongoing Budget session of the legislature to be curtailed, amid indications of such a move, in the wake of bypolls to two assembly segments in the state.
Ashoka, a senior BJP leader, said that there are indications the session may be curtailed and urged Speaker U T Khader not to allow it.
As the House met for the day, Ashoka said, "we wanted to discuss Bengaluru's issues, but no one is here. Neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister are present. What should we do."
Speaker Khader replied, "Let them come, the matter can be taken up after that."
To this Ashoka asked whether they would come and that he has "doubts," about that. "There are indications the government may curtail the session. Please don't allow it to happen."
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The Speaker then said that any such decision would be taken after discussing with the opposition leader.
To this, Ashoka said there was no need for any discussion and that "let the session be held as per schedule."
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Labour Minister Santosh Lad admitted there were indications the session might be curtailed.
"The legislature session has been on for three weeks. Despite holidays in between, the session has been held for the minimum number of days. I don't have complete information about what the opposition, the Chief Minister and the Speaker will decide. But such indications are there," he said in response to a question.
The state legislature's Budget session, which began on March 6 with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presenting the Budget for 2026-27, is scheduled to conclude on March 27.
Two assembly segments in the state --Bagalkot and Davangere South-- will go to bypolls on April 9.
Since Monday is the last date for filing nominations for the bypolls, both chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar are visiting those segments to accompany Congress candidates while filing their papers.
Bypolls for the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies were necessitated following the death of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
