BJP to corner Congress govt in K'taka on Waqf issue, alleged scams, during legislature session

Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Tuesday said the BJP will try to corner the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on a host of issues such as the Waqf row, alleged corruption scams, among others, during the winter session of state legislature in Belagavi.

The winter session will be held between December 9 and 20 at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the district headquarters town of Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra.

The BJP on Tuesday held a meeting of the party’s senior leaders to discuss key issues to be raised during the session.

“Finally, the government has fixed the dates for the legislature session, but they have scheduled it for two weeks. If it was held for more days, it would have given an opportunity to discuss more issues related to North Karnataka. We will demand for extension of the session,” Ashoka said.

Speaking to reporters here, after the meeting, he said, the issues faced by the people which the government has not addressed, corruption scams that have taken place, Waqf board claiming lands of farmers and religious institutions which have worried the people, will be discussed during the session.

Issues such as the conversion of number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) card to Above Poverty Line (APL) category, alleged Rs 700 crore scam in the excise department, upward revision of user fee at government hospital in Bengaluru, crop damage among others will be raised, Ashoka said.

“This is Thursday government, as ministers are available only on Thursdays (at state secretariat Vidhana Soudha to attend Cabinet meetings), remaining six days, no one will be there,” he said.

The focus will be more on issues relating to northern Karnataka districts. He further said he will be convening a meeting of BJP legislators from northern districts in a couple of days to discuss issues to be raised during the session.

Issues faced by Bengaluru during rains, such as potholes and waterlogging will also be raised. Several issues such as cut or non allocation of funds to BJP ruled constituencies will also be taken up, the Leader of Opposition said.

He further highlighted several alleged scams that have hit this administration, such as MUDA site allotment case against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, alleged destruction of evidences relating to corruption cases, suicide of government officers, withdrawal of several cases with the intention of minority appeasement, will also be among the issues raised to corner the government.

BJP leaders during today’s meeting also discussed the “rebel group” led by senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who are critical of state leadership, especially President B Y Vijayendra, party sources said.

Yatnal-led group including BJP MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, B P Harish, and former lawmakers Aravind Limbavali, Kumar Bangarappa and G M Siddeshwara and others, are even holding parallel agitation over the waqf issue.

Ashoka, however, in response to a question on rebels, said, “During the session, we will work as one team in the Assembly. I will speak to everyone, everyone will cooperate.”

The meeting also discussed the party’s loss in the by-elections to three Assembly seats — Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna — recently, sources added.

Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, has been hosting legislature sessions once a year since 2006.

Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, modelled on the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat in Bengaluru, was built as an assertion that Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka.

Maharashtra claims Belagavi and some nearby places belong to it.