Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday, 21 September demanded that the state government extend the proposed three-day special Assembly session to at least a week, insisting that critical issues — including the Kasturirangan report, the drought crisis, protection of the Western Ghats, and farmers' livelihoods — required far deeper legislative deliberation than the current schedule allows.

What the BJP Is Demanding

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru alongside Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, Vijayendra argued that three days were categorically insufficient to debate the severity of the drought, the complex implications of the Kasturirangan report on ecologically sensitive zones, and the concerns of farmers living in forest-fringe areas. He maintained that the BJP and its ally Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) would jointly raise farmers' issues and matters of broader public concern during the session.

Vijayendra stressed that while the Western Ghats must be protected on ecological grounds, the livelihoods and land rights of farmers residing on its fringes could not be compromised in the process — a tension that, he argued, demands sustained legislative attention.

BJP Claims Credit for Session Being Called

Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government had convened the special session only under sustained pressure from opposition protests, including the recently concluded Ballari Chalo padayatra. He also claimed that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar appeared rattled by the BJP's ongoing mobilisation campaign. The Congress government has not publicly responded to this characterisation.

Vijayendra further said the Assembly session should also serve as an occasion to examine the Congress government's performance over the past three-and-a-half years and assess whether it had meaningfully addressed public concerns.

Opposition Alleges Restricted Agenda, Legislative Norm Violations

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka questioned the government's decision to designate the sitting a 'special session' and alleged that the agenda had been deliberately narrowed to the Kasturirangan report and drought issues. He contended this was done to sidestep debate on other controversies, specifically the NICE and Bidadi Township Project row and the KPSC scam.

Ashoka further alleged that the manner in which the session had been convened did not conform to established legislative norms — a charge that adds a procedural dimension to the opposition's objections beyond the scope of debate alone.

What Happens Next

The BJP has already submitted a formal notice on the Kasturirangan report and has signalled it will aggressively raise the issue on the Assembly floor. With both the BJP and JD(S) coordinating their approach, the special session is expected to be contentious regardless of its final duration. Whether the Congress-led state government agrees to extend the session remains to be seen.