Belagavi:  The ten-day winter session of the State Legislature began at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi this morning, amidst political heat from within the ruling coalition as well as outside, with the Opposition BJP planning to hold a rally of farmers in Belagavi against what it calls the apathy of the government in addressing farmer issues.

Adding to the coalition government’s woes, sugarcane farmers, who had withdrawn their protest a fortnight ago after a government assurance of convincing sugar factories to pay up dues before the commencement of the session, have resumed their protest as the promise is yet to be kept.

Soon as the session began, the Assembly paid obituary references to the demise of former Union Ministers H.N. Ananth Kumar, Ambarish and C. K. Jaffer Sharief, former Ministers E.T. Shambunath and Om Prakash Kanagali, former Legislators M.P. Ravindra, H.S. Prakash, M. Bhaktavatsalam, Babu Reddy Tungal and other leaders and dignitaries, who passed away recently.

The House also condoled the death of 30 people, who were killed in the recent Kanaganamaradi bus mishap in Pandavapura Taluk on Nov. 24.

The session was adjourned for the day after making obituary references. The Opposition BJP is all set to take on the JD(S)-Congress coalition government by raising farmer distress and a host of issues related to the development of North Karnataka.

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