Basavaraj Horatti, the Chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council, has submitted his resignation from the post, paving the way for the Congress to appoint one of its own members to preside over the Upper House. The resignation was submitted on August 7, and Horatti will continue as pro-tem Speaker until a new Chairperson is officially appointed.
The Congress has named its senior leader Saleem Ahmed as the candidate for the position, and he is expected to be officially anointed Chairperson on August 14. Horatti’s resignation comes after several rounds of talks with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who took the lead in persuading him to step down to avoid a no-confidence motion. The Congress now enjoys a majority in the 75-member Legislative Council.
Horatti had initially stated that he would address the Council about the circumstances of his resignation before stepping down. However, after another round of talks with Shivakumar and other legislators, he submitted his resignation on August 7. Speaking after a meeting with Horatti, the Chief Minister said that he would be designated pro-tem Speaker as per procedure and would preside over the session on August 13, and officially resign thereafter on August 14.
The opposition BJP has taken exception to the manner in which Horatti is being ‘forced’ to step down, criticizing the fact that he met with the Chief Minister at his residence. Horatti brushed aside the criticism, stating that he met with the Chief Minister to thank him for his cooperation. He also announced that he would conduct the House on August 13, appoint a Deputy Speaker, and tender his resignation formally.
Former minister Umashree is the Congress’s nominee for the post of Deputy Chairperson. Horatti, an eight-time MLC, has been a member of the Legislative Council for 46 years and has two years remaining in his current term.
