Karnataka budget session from today amid leadership tussle and key debates

Karnataka budget session from today amid leadership tussle and key debates

Karnataka budget session from today amid leadership tussle and key debates ByHT News Desk Mar 03, 2025 09:29 AM IST Share Via Copy Link The 15-day session will commence with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s address to the joint sitting of the legislature at Vidhana Soudha.

The Karnataka legislature’s first session of the year is set to begin today, setting the stage for intense political and policy discussions.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.(PTI)

The 15-day session will commence with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s address to the joint sitting of the legislature at Vidhana Soudha, news agency PTI reported.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is set to present his 16th budget on March 7, with the 2025-26 Budget expected to reach ₹4 lakh crore, up from the current fiscal’s ₹3.71 lakh crore.

The session comes amid ongoing speculation over a potential leadership change within the ruling Congress. Talks of a "rotational chief minister" or "power-sharing" arrangement persist, with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar emerging as a key contender for the top post. Meanwhile, supporters of CM Siddaramaiah insist he will serve a full term.

The opposition BJP is also facing internal rifts, with calls for the replacement of state unit president B Y Vijayendra. However, the BJP and its ally JD(S) have decided to put up a united front against the Congress government on multiple issues.

The opposition is likely to target the government over rising costs, including fare hikes for state-run road transport corporation buses and the Bengaluru Metro. Additionally, proposed increases in milk prices and water tariffs are expected to be debated. The BJP and JD(S) have also accused the Congress of excessive taxation to fund its five "guarantee schemes" and diverting funds meant for Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan.

Another contentious issue could be the clean chit given by the Karnataka Lokayukta to the Chief Minister and his wife in the MUDA site allotment case.

Law and order concerns are also expected to come up, especially after recent communal tensions in Mysuru’s Udayagiri, allegations of police mishandling, and an attack on a state-run bus conductor in Belagavi for not speaking Marathi, which escalated into an inter-state issue.

(Also Read: Bengaluru: Shocking video surfaces of auto-rickshaw crushed between two BMTC buses)

Several important bills are likely to be tabled during the session. Among them is the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, which seeks to split the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into multiple smaller corporations. The BJP and JD(S) have strongly opposed the move, accusing the Congress of attempting to “divide” Bengaluru and delaying BBMP elections.

Another key legislation expected is the Karnataka Micro Loan and Small Loan (Prevention of Coercive Actions) Bill, 2025, which aims to regulate unregistered lenders and curb harassment by microfinance institutions (MFIs).

Additionally, the delay in releasing the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the ‘caste census,’ is likely to be a major point of discussion, with increasing pressure for its publication.

(With agency inputs)