JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti elected Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman

BENGALURU: JDS MLC Basavaraj Horatti was on Tuesday elected as the Chairman of the 75-member upper house of the Karnataka legislature, amid protests by Congress members. 

The Opposition leaders M Narayanswamy, BK Hariprasad, Nasir Ahmed and objected over the din in the House and rushed to the well to register their protests over passage of the Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill. 

However, the Chair overruled their objection suggesting that they need to stick to the agenda. 

Horatti, a seven-time MLC, who represents Karnataka west teachers constituency, was declared "unanimously" elected, as the opposition Congress that was protesting from the well of the house, did not propose the name of its candidate Naseer Ahmed, during the election process.

Amid loud sloganeering, KV Narayan Swamy proposed the candidature of Hiratti for Chairman's post while KT Srikante Gowda approved it. N Appaji Gowda was the second proposer while Thippa Swamy approved it. 

Ignoring the noisy protests by the Congress, the Chairman went ahead and elected Horatti who was sitting on the benches allocated for JDS. Once Horatti reached the Chairman's chair, M K Pranesh welcomed him with folded hands. 

K Srinivas Poojary, BJP leader in the house, welcomed him too. Home and Parliamentary affairs minister Basvaraj Bommai lauded Horatti, who has been a member of the house for about four decades. He recalled Horatti's association with veteran leaders like Ramakrishna Hegde and his own father and former CM SR Bommai. He further reminisced about how Horatti, previously a school teacher, came into politics as an Independence and was able to take an unbiased view on issues. 

The Congress candidate for the post, MLC Nasir Ahmed, was proposed by M Narayanswamy and approved by R Prasanna Kumar and B K Hariprasad seconded his candidature while Aravind Kumar Arali approved it. However, Ahmed withdrew his candidature in the last minute as he did not have enough numbers. 

Currently, the ruling BJP is the single largest party in the Council with 31 seats, followed by Congress with 29, JD(S) 13 (including Horatti), one independent and one vacant (due to death of Dharme Gowda).

It may be recalled that for the recent Deputy Chairman position, Congress nominated K C Kondaiah who lost to M K Pranesh, BJP candidate supported by the JDS, because Congress fell short of numbers.

Horatti(74) armed with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Physical Education qualification, began his career as a physical education teacher in Hubballi.

He has been a member of the Council for nearly 40 years now, starting from 1980.

He had served as the Chairman (acting) of the Council from June 22 to December 12, 2018.

(With PTI inputs)