Belagavi: The Winter Session of the State Legislature began at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi this morning with Opposition parties eager to attack the Siddharamaiah Government over a slew of issues and the ruling Congress ready with ammunition to hit back at the Opposition.

As soon as the session began, the Assembly made obituary references to 16 persons who included former CM Dharam Singh, MLA and former Minister Qamar ul Islam, H.D. Kote MLA Chikkamadu and journalist Gauri Lankesh, who had worked in a few Government Committees. Following this, the session was adjourned for some time.

After the session reassembled, the Opposition BJP members demanded the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George, who has been named as the first accused in the FIR filed by the CBI in connection with the suicide of Dy.SP M.K. Ganapathy.

But Congress members, objecting to the demand, urged for taking up question hour, following which verbal exchanges broke out between the ruling Congress and the Opposition.

Even as a heated debate was going on over the demand for the resignation of George, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah reached out to the ruling party MLAs Dr. A.B. Malakareddy and Malikayya Guttedar, amidst reports that the two were planning to leave the Congress.

Later, Assembly Speaker K.B. Koliwad adjourned the Assembly for the day. The Belagavi session will be held until  Nov. 24.