Sharing Legislative Council dy chairman post, JD(S) style

JD(S) MLC Puttanna is all set to get elected unopposed to the deputy chairman post in the Legislative Council.

He is the lone candidate to file nomination papers on Monday. The returning officer is scheduled to announce the result on Tuesday. 

But Puttanna will have to be mentally prepared to give up the post in the next one year as the party has to accommodate MLC Marithibbe Gowda for the same post. 

Displeasure

Before Puttanna filed his papers this morning in the Vidhana Soudha, Gowda reportedly expressed his displeasure that he was not considered for the post, while Puttanna was trying to become deputy chairman for the second time. 

After much discussion with the party leader H D Kumaraswamy, Gowda budged only after he got an assurance that after a year he would replace Puttanna. It was not known whether Puttanna agreed to this arrangement. Both of them are elected from the teachers’ constituency to the Council. 

Kumaraswamy told reporters that Gowda has been promised that he too would get an opportunity to occupy the deputy chairman post after one year. 

By 2016, the Congress in all probability would be more numerically stronger than its rivals the BJP and the JD(S). So, the chances of the JD(S) getting a prime post may be difficult. Hence, Puttanna and Gowda are insisting on the post, it is said.