Basavaraj Horatti resigns as Karnataka Legislative Council Chairperson

Karnataka Legislative Council Chairperson Basavaraj Horatti submitted his resignation from the post on August 7, making way for the Congress to have one of its own members to preside over the Upper House.

Congress has already named its senior leader Saleem Ahmed as the candidate for the position. He is expected to be officially anointed Chaiperson on August 14. Till such time, Mr. Horatti would continue as pro-tem Speaker.

There had been several rounds of talks with Mr. Horatti on the issue, with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar himself taking the lead, in an effort to persuade him to resign of his own volition, to avoid the embarrassment of a no confidence motion. Congress now enjoys majority in the 75-member Legislative Council.