Bengaluru, August 7: Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad expressed respect for Basavaraj Horatti’s resignation from the position of Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. He stated that Horatti played a significant role in maintaining the dignity of the house and parliamentary traditions throughout his long public life.
In a statement, Hariprasad noted that Horatti made remarkable contributions to Karnataka’s parliamentary system during his extensive political and legislative career. He highlighted that as Chairman, Horatti conducted the proceedings of the house impartially, providing equal opportunities for both the ruling and opposition parties to voice their concerns.
Hariprasad remarked, “His style of conducting the house with restraint, maturity, and fairness, ensuring equal opportunities for all members, will always be remembered.”
The Congress leader also commended Horatti’s commitment to upholding the dignity of constitutional positions and parliamentary traditions. He added, “I respect his decision and honor his long service to Karnataka’s parliamentary system.”
Earlier on Friday, Basavaraj Horatti resigned from his role as Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. His resignation comes at a time when there is considerable activity regarding the functioning of the Legislative Council in state politics.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) defended Horatti’s resignation, stating that it aligns with parliamentary traditions. The party accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicizing the issue for political gain.
Ramesh Babu, head of the KPCC’s media and communication department and former MLC, stated that it has long been a parliamentary tradition for a Chairman or Deputy Chairman to voluntarily resign when their party loses majority in the council.
He mentioned that in the 75-member Legislative Council, Congress has 39 members, while the BJP has 24, Janata Dal (Secular) has six, and there is one independent member. Horatti’s resignation is in accordance with parliamentary traditions ahead of the council session starting on August 13.
Ramesh Babu dismissed former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s claim that there was political pressure behind Horatti’s resignation. He reminded that in February 2021, when the BJP gained a majority in the Legislative Council, the then Chairman Pratap Chandra Shetty resigned, and the BJP had disrupted the house proceedings demanding his resignation.
He accused the BJP of distorting parliamentary traditions and history. He claimed that BJP leaders had recently attempted to persuade Horatti not to resign to maintain political advantage through the Chairman’s position.
He linked the controversy to the ongoing voter list revision campaign in the state, alleging that over one million voters’ names have been removed from the draft voter list during the Election Commission’s process, and the BJP is using Horatti’s resignation to divert public attention from this issue.
The KPCC has accused the BJP of politicizing a constitutional position like the Chairman of the Legislative Council, stating that the opposition is trying to give a political hue to the issue after failing to raise public interest matters within the house.
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