BENGALURU: “I have been addressing the issues of teachers, even if they called me at midnight. And that is the secret behind me getting elected consecutively,” said Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, who completed 45 years as an MLC, having been elected from the Teachers’ constituency, eight times, since 1980.
Seventy-nine-year-old Horatti was speaking after Council members lauded his success, and some including BJP’s CT Ravi requested him to reveal the secret behind his repeated election.
He said he was inspired by one Mukherjee, whom he met in 1981 in New Delhi, who had this quote at the entrance of his house: “Those who are coming to me for work, I will do it today only. Tomorrow, I may not get a chance.”
“I got the quote translated into Kannada and put it on a board at my house, and even today, I am follow it and that is the secret of my success,” said Horatti, who has the credit of working with 17 chief ministers, over 400 ministers, and more than 4,000 law-makers.
Stating that politics has changed a lot in all these years, he said the current politicians need patience. He added that he has seen both appreciations and criticisms.
Earlier MLCs across parties lauded Horatti and requested a programme to be held in his honour. “Neither JDS nor BJP can claim that because of them, Horatti achieved so much in politics. It was all his own efforts,” said Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, and that in 60 years of his public life, Horatti did not revealed his caste anywhere.
He added that when politics is seen as a money-making channel, Horatti, in all his political life, is not associated with real estate, mining or excise contracts, while extending help to people from all walks of life.