BENGALURU: The monsoon session of the State Legislature will start on Thursday. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday held a meeting with ministers and senior Congress leaders to chalk out the government and the party’s strategy to counter the opposition BJP and JDS, which have decided to jointly raise several issues to put the government on the mat.
The BJP and JDS leaders have announced that they would take up the Bidadi Township project, Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project by NICE, alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission, police recruitment, and various other issues during the 10-day session, from August 13 to 27.
They have also decided to question B Nagendra’s induction into the cabinet when he is facing charges in the multi-crore financial irregularities in the ST Development Corporation.
Sources said that during the meeting with Congress leaders, Shivakumar asked senior ministers to support new ministers and, if the opposition targets any minister, they should back him up. He is also said to have informed the ministers that he would respond to the opposition if it raises the Bidadi Township development project. Portfolios to the newly inducted ministers were announced on Wednesday.
The new Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the state assembly, and Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the State Legislative Council will be elected. The ruling Congress has announced its MLA GS Patil and MLC Saleem Ahmed as its nominees for the Assembly Speaker and Council Chairman, respectively. Congress MLA TB Jayachandra has been appointed as pro-tem Speaker, and MLC Puttanna will be the pro-tem chairman of the Council.
The Council chairman election will be held on Friday, and Saleem Ahmed is filing his nomination for the post on Thursday.