Watch controversy to dominate Legislature session

The controversy pertaining to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s expensive wrist watch is likely to dominate the first session of the State Legislature which is scheduled to commence on Monday. 

The session will begin with Governor Vajubhai Vala’s address to members of both the Houses of the Legislature. The session is scheduled to last till March 5. The ruling Congress is expected to have a tough time defending the chief minister on the watch controversy during the session. Though Siddaramaiah has sought to downplay the issue by claiming that it was a gift and that he has all documents to prove his claims, Opposition parties of the BJP and the JD(S) have kept the issue alive by coming up with new charges against the chief minister. 

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has threatened to release a set of new documents on the issue in coming days, after the Congress leaders who are close to Siddaramaiah came up with a list of expensive cars and watches the JD(S) leader and his son owns. The BJP  vowed to take the issue to its logical end by taking up a legal battle. The State party president Pralhad Joshi has already filed a complaint with Enforcement Directorate.