Basavaraj Horatti elected Karnataka Council Chairperson amid uproar

JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti was elected as the new Chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday amid furore from Congress leaders.

The election for the post took place even as Congress leaders staged a protest in the Well of the House, against the passing of the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Bill. Congress argued that the Bill was passed in an "undemocratic" manner overlooking their demand for the division of votes.

Notwithstanding their protest, the election was announced. Even though Congress had nominated Naseer Ahmed as a contestant, the party leaders refused to take part in the election process. As a result, the House declared Horatti as "unanimously elected".

Horatti was escorted to the Chairperson's seat and he took charge to his new post amidst a din. Congress leaders continued to stand in the Well of the House throughout the proceedings.

Horatti is a seven-time MLC, consecutively elected from Teachers' Constituency (West) since 1980. He also served as the Science and Technology, and Rural Development minister in the Congress and JD(S) coalition government in 2004. Later, in the 2006 BJP-JD(S) coalition, he held the Primary and Secondary Education, and Law and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios. He was nominated as pro-tem Chairperson of the Council for a brief period, during the Congress-JD(S) coalition in 2018.