BENGALURU: Even as Congress has come under fire from the Opposition for announcing its nominees for Legislative Council Chairman, Deputy Chairperson, Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker, on the party’s letterhead, CM DK Shivakumar is said to have asked Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti to tender his resignation.
Sources said that during his meeting with Horatti late Thursday evening, the CM asked him to resign. Horatti, the most senior member of the Council, is likely to step down from the post on August 14. The state legislature session starts on August 13.
Although some senior Congress leaders, including some ministers, are in favour of continuing Horatti as the Council chairman, as he has been conducting the House proceedings in a non-partisan manner, the CM, citing the party high command’s direction, asked him to resign, sources said.
Horatti, who has created a record for his eighth successive win from the Teachers Constituency, has been a member of the Upper House for over 45 years.
Congress is said to be contemplating moving a no-confidence motion against the Chairman, and to avoid the embarrassment, Horatti is likely to resign.
Congress has named party MLCs Salim Ahmed and Umashree as Chairman and Deputy Chairperson of the legislative council. It was announced along with the list of legislators inducted into the state cabinet on August 3.
BJP slammed Congress for announcing its nominees for Chairman and Speaker on the party’s letterhead. State BJP president BY Vijayendra and LoP in Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said such action undermines the autonomy of the Legislature and democratic values. BJP leaders are holding a meeting in Bengaluru on Friday to discuss their strategy on the issue.