BELAGAVI: Amid resentment within the ruling coalition over election of Legislative Council chairman, five-time legislator from Dakshina Kannada, Pratap Chandra Shetty was unanimously elected to the coveted post on Wednesday.
However, exiting pro-tem speaker Basavaraj Horatti cried foul, visibly disappointed over the way Congress abandoned him at the last moment stating that it was everyone’s wish to help him continue as the council speaker. He said that Congress did not abide by ‘coalition dharma’, and that the party did not rally behind him for the post.
During formation of the coalition government, both the Congress and JD(S) had entered into an agreement that the post of assembly speaker would go to Congress and the council speaker post to JD(S). Later, the Congress staked claim over the post of council chairman contending that it had a clear majority in the House with 38 of the 75 members from Congress. Former CM Siddaramaiah had insisted on giving the Speaker’s post to Congress. Efforts of the JD(S) to get the post of Speaker did not materialise even as it extended complete support to Congress MLA K R Ramesh Kumar in becoming the legislative assembly speaker.
After the Congress-JD(S) coalition government was formed, Horatti was appointed as pro-tem speaker for council. It was decided to hold elections for the speaker’s post on Wednesday during the ongoing winter legislative session. However, as Pratap Chandra Shetty from Congress was the only candidate who filed nominations till Tuesday evening, he was elected unopposed on Wednesday morning. Irrespective of parties, members of all parties congratulated and welcomed the new speaker.
I am surprised, and so is Shetty: Horatti
Expressing shock and surprise over the election of Pratapchandra Shetty as the state council chairman on Wednesday, MLC Basavaraj Horatti said even Shetty himself is surprised as to how his name figured for the coveted post in the eleventh hour. “As per an agreement between the Congress and the JD(S), the post of council chairman was given to me temporarily on a condition that it would be held by me until the new chairman is appointed.
However, leaders from both sides did not have any objections to me continuing. I don’t know what transpired at the last moment ...,’’ he said. Both the parties did not have any objections until today on sharing of the two seats. “It was my wish to be the chairman of the council at least until the 10-day session ended in Belagavi on December 21,’’ he added.