Basavaraj Horatti likely to stay on as Karnataka Legislative Council Chairperson amid leadership tussle in Congress

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Karnataka Legislative Council Chairperson Basavaraj Horatti has been a subordinate   of the House for 45 years.

Karnataka Legislative Council Chairperson Basavaraj Horatti has been a subordinate of the House for 45 years. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

Amid speculation connected the continuation of Basavaraj Horatti arsenic Chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council, the enactment tussle successful the Congress and different circumstances look to person enactment the full contented connected the backburner for now. Mr. Horatti is the seniormost subordinate successful the Upper House having a grounds of winning 8 consecutive terms.

According to a elder Congress person alert of developments successful the Upper House, the enactment is yet to sermon the anticipation of serving a announcement of no-confidence. “The announcement of no-confidence, which is mandatory, to region the Chairperson, has not been served. Congress enactment has not adjacent discussed it,” the person said.

The wintertime league of the Karnataka legislature volition commence successful Belagavi connected December 8.

How the numbers stack up

With the caller nominations taking the Congress presumption 1 shy of majority, it was wide speculated that Mr. Horatti and Deputy Chairperson M.K. Pranesh could beryllium replaced with the party’s nominees. After the information of 4 members to the Upper House, the spot of Congress has gone up to 37 successful the 75-member Legislative Council.

The absorption BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) person 29 and 7 members, respectively.

With the Chairperson (Mr. Horatti, a erstwhile Janata Dal (Secular) leader, has been elected connected a BJP ticket) having his vote, the ballot of the lone autarkic legislator Lakhan Jarkiholi volition beryllium the deciding factor.

However, aggregate sources pointed retired that amid the enactment tussle betwixt Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar implicit rotation of powerfulness that has kept the enactment connected the edge, the treatment connected the station of Chairperson successful Upper House is not a priority.

Seniority issue

A elder Congress person besides indicated that unseating Mr. Horatti, the seniormost subordinate of the location with a grounds of being successful the House continuously for 45 years, is besides not going to beryllium easy. “One needs seniority and governmental maturity to beryllium the Chairperson. Some elder members are not funny successful the station due to the fact that they are looking astatine a furniture berth.”

The person besides said that indications are that Congress mightiness hold to get a wide bulk aft the adjacent acceptable of elections.

In 2026, 16 members volition implicit their tenure. They see 7 members retiring successful June, 5 members nominated by the authorities completing their word successful July, too the tenure of 4 members elected from graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies coming to an extremity successful November.

Another elder person pointed retired that determination has been nary complaint of corruption oregon bias against Mr. Horatti, and being the seniormost member, helium commands respect from members crossed parties.

“The station is apolitical. In the past, determination person been instances wherever governments person allowed members from different parties to proceed arsenic Chairperson.”

Past instances

In 2017, D.H. Shankarmurthy survived an unprecedented spot ballot successful the Council that was moved by the Congress.

In 2021, pursuing a announcement of no-confidence served by BJP-JD(S), Prathap Chandra Shetty resigned since Congress did not person the numbers.

Published - December 04, 2025 03:22 p.m. IST

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