Senior most member of the Legislative Council and Janata Dal (Secular) leader Basavaraj Horatti was declared elected unanimously on Tuesday as the Chairman of the upper house in the midst of protest by Congress members over the passage of Anti-cow slaughter Bill on Monday night.
As soon as the House commenced for business on Tuesday, Congress members termed the passage of the Bill as "illegal", since they had asked for division of votes. On Monday night, the Council had passed the Anti-cow slaughter Bill through a voice vote despite objection from Congress and JD (S) members.
While the ruling BJP members insisted that the Chairman's election should be taken up first as per the agenda, Deputy Chairman M.K. Pranesh ruled that he would review the records to find out if the Congress had sought for division of votes or not. BJP leaders, including Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, said that Congress had not sought the division of votes.
Despite strong opposition from Congress leaders, who trooped into the well in protest, Mr. Pranesh announced that he was going ahead with the election process and requested the Congress members to take their seats. However, Congress members continued to shout slogans and stayed put in the well.
While JD (S) members K.T. Srikante Gowda and Thippeswamy proposed the name of seven time MLC Basavaraj Horatti for the post of chairman, the Congress members M. Narayanswamy and B.K. Hariprasad refused to propose the name of Nazeer Ahmed, who had also filed his nomination papers for the post on Monday. Following which, the Deputy Chairman announced that Mr. Horatti had been elected unanimously.
The election to the chairman's post had been necessitated after K. Prathapchandra Shetty tendered his resignation following the no confidence motion moved by BJP and JD (S). The BJP and JD (S) had come to an understanding for the post after it was agreed to make Mr. Pranesh, a member of BJP to become the Deputy Chairman, a post that had fallen vacant due to the death of Dharme Gowda, who had earlier committed suicide.
Meanwhile, during the congratulatory speech following the elevation of Mr. Horatti, the JD (S) member Marithibbe Gowda rued that it was unfortunate that the election process to elect the senior most member representing teachers constituency had to be done in such a situation. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary gave rich tribute to Mr. Horatti's contribution in nearly four decades of he being the member of the house.
