Bengaluru, 2 March

The first session of the Karnataka legislature in 2025, beginning on Monday, is expected to be contentious, with both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP facing internal divisions. The 15-day session will begin with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's address to the joint sitting of the legislature at Vidhana Soudha. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will also present his 16th budget on 7 March, with the 2025-26 budget expected to total Rs 4 lakh crore, up from Rs 3.71 lakh crore for the current fiscal.

The session comes amid ongoing speculation about leadership changes within the Congress, with discussions surrounding a potential "rotational chief minister" formula. While Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is a key contender for the post, supporters of Siddaramaiah assert that he will continue in office. The opposition BJP is also grappling with internal divisions, particularly over the leadership of state unit President BY Vijayendra. Despite these rifts, the BJP, along with its JD(S) ally, is expected to unite in opposing the government on several issues.

Price hikes, including recent increases in bus fares for the state-run road transport corporation and Bengaluru Metro, as well as proposed hikes in milk prices and water tariffs, are set to be major points of contention. The opposition will also target the government over its tax burden, particularly due to the implementation of five guarantee schemes, and accusations of misallocating funds under the Scheduled Caste and Tribal Sub-Plans.

Other topics likely to arise include the Karnataka Lokayukta’s clean chit to Siddaramaiah and his wife over the MUDA site allotment scam, and law and order concerns following incidents in Mysuru and Belagavi.