BENGALURU, 10 AUG

The Monsoon Session of the State legislature is scheduled to begin on Monday, with the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP-JD(S) alliance expected to lock horns on a number of issues.

The Opposition is expected to corner the government on several key issues, including its "misrule" and lack of funding for development. 

The BJP is likely to raise the government's handling of the RCB victory celebrations, which resulted in the death of 11 people during the M Chinnaswamy stampede, and alleged mismanagement of fertiliser distribution to farmers.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka earlier stated that his party will focus on the Congress dispensation's alleged mishandling of flood and rain damage, lack of ministerial visits to affected areas and law and order issues during the legislature session.

Additionally, discussions are expected on the Dharmasthala "mass burials" probe, with the Opposition likely to question the government's response to the alleged misinformation.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised the issue of vote theft and criticised the Election Commission of India. The BJP and Congress are expected to lock horns over the issue.

The new caste census has long been a major political issue.

The State government's decision to conduct a new caste census and plans to implement internal reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) based on the Justice HN Nagmohan Das Commission report.

However, the Opposition has questioned the need for a new State-level survey when the Centre has decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census exercise. It had also voiced concerns about alleged discrepancies in the survey that was held to provide internal reservations among SCs.

The Session comes in the backdrop of rumblings in both the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP over the leadership issue. 

While there is speculation about the Chief Minister seat in the Congress, the saffron party has been plagued by factionalism, especially given the continuation of BY Vijayendra as the party's State unit President

The Opposition parties have seized on the power tussle between the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, claiming it has weakened the administration.