Karnataka legislature winter session set for a ‘showdown’

Bengaluru, Dec 6 : The week-long winter session of the Karnataka legislature from Monday is set to generate heat, as the ruling BJP plans to introduce two controversial bills for banning cow slaughter and love jihad, much against the wishes of the opposition Congress.
“Unlike in the past many years when the winter session of the legislature was at Belagavi in the state’s north-west region, it is being held in Bengaluru from December 7-15 due to the Coronavirus spread,” a legislative official told IANS on Sunday.
As the state government is keen to get the controversial APMC and the Land Reforms Bills passed in the legislative Council where the ruling BJP secured majority after winning all the 4 seats in the October 28 biennial elections, state law and parliamentary affairs minister J.C. Madhuswamy will table them.
The state Assembly passed them by voice vote on September 26 despite stiff opposition by the Congress on the last day of the truncated 8-day monsoon session.
“The twin Bills were not moved in the Council last time (monsoon session), as our party lacked majority and the opposition Congress had more seats then,” a BJP official recalled.
In the 75-member Upper House, the BJP has 31 seats, Congress 28, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 14 and one independent and one chairman.