Belagavi: The Winter Session of the State Legislature began at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi this morning.

Soon after the Session began, the victorious Congress candidates in the three bypolls — C.P. Yogeshwar from Channapatna in Ramanagara district, Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan from Shiggaon in Haveri district and E. Annapoorna Tukaram from Sandur (Ballari district) took oath as MLAs.

Sources said that five important Bills would come up for discussion in the Legislative Assembly. Two Bills to replace Ordinances would be taken up for consideration and three private Bills will be taken up  for discussion.

The Session on the first day witnessed a showdown between the Congress and the BJP over issues such as Waqf Board row and deaths of lactating mothers at Ballari Government Hospital, besides others. BJP is also all set to move adjournment motions over Waqf and Health sector issues bothering the State.

More importantly, the Opposition BJP will raise issues such as the muddle over BPL cards, the mega MUDA sites scam, misappropriation of ST Development Corporation funds and alleged corruption in the Excise Department as the Session progresses.

The Congress, on its part, is likely to argue that the previous BJP Government had issued far more Waqf notices and the ongoing process is only a continuation of the policy. But the BJP is all set to target the Congress Government by taking the issue further since some temples across the State too have received notices.

Prior to the start of the Session, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah unveiled a painting of Anubhava Mantapa done by a group of artists. The CM also inaugurated an exhibition of rare photographs of the 1924 National  Congress Session held at Belagavi which was chaired by Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition organised by Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) in the premises of SVS marking the centenary celebrations of the 1924 Congress Session, has  the title ‘Baalaka Mohandas to Mahatma.’

 As many as 2,500 staff of various Departments and nearly  6,000 Police personnel have been deployed for the Session.

Meanwhile, it is learnt the Session, which was scheduled to be held from Dec.9 to 20,  has been cut short by a day on account of Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Mandya from Dec.20 to 22.