The ongoing winter session of the State legislature in Belagavi is set to conclude on Thursday, a day ahead of the original schedule. The session, which began on December 19, was originally slated to end on December 30.
Assembly Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri made the announcement on Wednesday, citing that most members had other engagements on Friday.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP is busy preparing for the arrival of their key strategist Amit Shah to the State on Friday, while the principal Opposition Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D. K. Shivakumar are attempting to send a message of unity by participating in a bus yatra together, which will be flagged off from Vijayapura on the same day.
The other Opposition Janata Dal (Secular) has had a minimal presence in the session, with its key leader H.D. Kumaraswamy away on the party’s poll tour of Pancharatna Yatra along with other party leaders.
This session has been characterized by a lack of interest among legislators from all political affiliations, as the preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections have been weighing heavily on their minds.
Mr. Kageri had to express his displeasure over several Ministers not being present in the House to reply to issues, and the presence of members across political affiliations was sparse during several debates.
Though MLAs had expressed concern over their poll preparations being hindered by their camp in Belagavi, with only 100 days left until the Assembly elections, their leaders had refrained from seeking a curtailment of the session due to its potential political implications.