Horatti hopes for another innings as council chairman

Dharwad: Notwithstanding its many awe-inspiring triumphs at the hustings, not only in Karnataka but across the country, one electoral feather was conspicuously absent from BJP’s thickly plumed hat – a victory in the battle for the West Teachers’ seat in the state’s legislative council. The saffron party had repeatedly tried, only to fail as many times, to wrest this seat from Basavaraj Horatti’s vice-like grip. But the tide turned this year, and BJP was finally able to have its member occupy the seat in the state legislature’s upper house, and that member happened to be none other than Horatti himself, who won the seat for a record seventh time.
The former minister, held in high regard by leaders across party lines, is likely to be re-elected to the post of the council’s chairman, which he demitted earlier this year. The election to the chairman’s post is slated to be held on December 21 at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi. Horatti, who left the JD(S) and joined the BJP ahead of the council polls this year, was reportedly promised the chairman’s post in the council by the saffron party, according to a source privy to discussions of the BJP core committee.
Although it was believed that Horatti would be elevated to the chairman’s post by the BJP when the legislature convened in June, sources attributed the delay to opposition to the move from a section of leaders in the saffron party. Consequently, acting council chairman Raghunath Malkapure continued to hold the office.
Horatti said that former chief ministers BS Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, water resources minister Govind Karjol, Union minister Pralhad Joshi were among those who had persuaded him to join the BJP, with the promise that he would be nominated the chairman of the council. “I do not know why this promise was not fulfilled during the legislature session in June,” Horatti told TOI.
A member of the saffron party’s core committee reiterated the BJP’s commitment to ensure Horatti was elected the council chairman. “Those in the party who objected to his elevation have been convinced to support Horatti. We will offer Malkapure the post of the deputy chairman of the council,” said the BJP functionary.
In a political career spanning over four decades, Horatti, once associated with the Janata Parivar had subsequently joined the JD(S) and served as the state education minister. He was subsequently elevated to the post of the council chairman.
Since the BJP now enjoys a majority in the legislature’s upper house, ensuring Horatti’s election as the chairman must not prove a difficult task, sources said.