Belagavi, 8 Dec

The Winter Session of the Karnataka Legislature opened in Belagavi on Monday with notably thin attendance, as only about 100–110 MLAs were present in the 224-member Assembly when obituary references were taken up. The House, which met for only half a day, paid tributes to environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka, sitting Congress MLA HY Meti, former legislators RV Devaraj and Shivasharanappagouda Patil, and actor MS Umesh.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government had accepted Thimmakka’s request for a museum in her name in Belur and would institute an award in her honour. He also announced plans for a memorial to novelist SL Bhyrappa in Mysuru. Speaker UT Khader urged MLAs to plant trees on the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha premises. The House was adjourned till Tuesday after a two-minute silence.

Earlier, police detained hundreds of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) activists attempting to hold the banned Maha Melava. Leaders including former deputy mayor Renu Killekar, Shiv Sena’s Prakash Shirulkar and former MLA Digambar Patil were among those detained across Belagavi, Khanapur and Nippani and later released. Police Commissioner Bhushan Borase said the action was necessary to prevent clashes after threats from Kannada groups. Retaliation followed across the border, where Shiv Sena workers in Kolhapur blocked Karnataka buses and pasted “Jai Maharashtra” stickers on them.

Meanwhile, Excise Minister RB Timmapura said beer sales in Karnataka had dropped sharply due to heavy rain and cold weather, with sales falling 19.55 per cent to 195.27 lakh boxes till September this year.

Will go by rules on no-trust motion, says Council Chairman 

Amid speculation about the ruling Congress planning to move a no-confidence motion against him, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti on Monday said he will abide by the decision of the House, and go by the rules regarding the matter.

Horatti also clarified that he had resigned from the BJP as soon as he was elected as the Chairman in 2022.

Sources said the Congress wants to have its own member as the Chairman, with the numbers now stacked in its favour in the upper House of the legislature.

In the 75-member Council, there are 37 Congress members, an equal number for the NDA (including the Chairman) and an independent, Lakhan Jarkiholi, who is believed to be inclined towards the Congress.

Meanwhile, according to official sources, the Chairman left for Bengaluru on Monday.

Congress MLC Nagaraj Yadav has accused Horratti of partisan conduct and alleged irregularities in connection with recruitment to the Council office.

Rejecting Yadav's allegations of irregularities in connection with direct recruitment to the Legislative Council secretariat, as it was allegedly in violation of rules, Horatti said he would not occupy the chair even for a minute if the charges are proved.

"Recruitment was conducted through the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)," he said.

Regarding allegations of him being partisan, Horatti said that although he was elected from the BJP, he had resigned from the party when he was elected to the Chairman post.

Regarding the allegation relating to his handling of a tussle between Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and BJP MLC CT Ravi during the session in Belagavi last year, the Chairman said he had set up a committee to look into it.

Minister KH Muniyappa informed the Council on Monday that 570 people have been arrested for the illegal hoarding and sale of 'Anna Bhagya' scheme rice.

The Minister, who holds the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology portfolio, was replying to MLC CT Ravi.

No negligence by BIMS doctors, says Minister 

A case concerning the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) hospital came up for discussion during the Question Hour in the Legislative Council on Monday. 

Raising a starred question, Member M Nagaraju urged the government to act against the doctors responsible for a surgical lapse. 

The Minister for Medical Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Dr Sharanprakash Patil, clarified that no negligence had occurred.

He said the patient had a history of alcohol and tobacco addiction. The letter from the taluk hospital indicated suspected appendicular perforation. After routine exams doctors confirmed appendicular perforation.

During the surgery on 20 June 2025, a laparotomy was performed and the appendix was found swollen at the tip. The intestines were examined during the procedure and were found normal, and were not removed, the minister said.

Despite medical advice, the patient’s attendants discharged him against medical advice on 22 June 2025, the minister added. 

State Health Minister warns private hospitals on C-sections

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, has issued a stern warning to private hospitals regarding the performance of unnecessary caesarean deliveries for financial gain. This statement was made in response to JD(S) member Govinda Raju's query in the Legislative Council.

Minister Rao noted that while no specific private hospitals have been identified for conducting unnecessary C-sections, the District Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Registration and Grievance Redressal Authority has yet to receive any public complaints on the matter. 

He stated, “If complaints are received, action will be taken against the private hospital that violated the rules, under Section 15 Clause 1 of the KPME Act.” Rao underscored the importance of adherence to established protocols for examining pregnant women, asserting that both government and private hospitals must comply with the regulations, with potential consequences for non-compliance.

Priyank blames BJP for farmers’ woes

Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday criticised the BJP ahead of the Assembly session, alleging that the party has abandoned its responsibilities as an opposition and is instead focusing only on trivial issues. Priyank  accused the BJP of overlooking issues under the Centre’s responsibility, citing the maize procurement cap and sugarcane pricing. He said the party is ignoring the MSP for maize and the FRP for sugarcane, both set by the central government.

When asked about the opposition's plan to target the Congress government, Kharge said, "Let them do it. They have abandoned their responsibilities as an opposition." He further claimed that the Centre owed Karnataka significant financial dues, yet the BJP was choosing to raise irrelevant issues instead.

Kharge claimed the Centre owes Karnataka significant dues, yet the BJP focuses on trivial matters instead. “They owe the state Rs 13,000 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission and the 15th Finance Commission allocation for MGNREGA, but they will only talk about the watches worn by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Sivakumar. 

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar reportedly wore seen wearing similar Cartier watches, and the opposition BJP has been critical of the expensive watches and has raised questions about it.