Bengaluru, May 16: As he is all set to join the ruling BJP, senior politician Basavaraj Horatti on Monday resigned as the Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council, and also as an MLC.
Thanking the leadership of his former party JD(S) — H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy — for the opportunity, Horatti said they still consider him as their family member.
“I have resigned today as the Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council along with that also as MLC…I will be joining the BJP tomorrow, most probably at the party office in Bengaluru,” Horatti told reporters here.
“Sometimes sudden changes happen. As some in my constituency and well-wishers were putting pressure on me insisting that I change, I had to accept it… I first got elected as an independent and thereafter got associated with the then Janata Dal and its breakaway JD(S). In 42 years of my political life, this is my first change,” he added.
Horatti had earlier this month met Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the latter’s visit to Bengaluru. He is likely to be fielded as the party’s candidate for the upcoming MLC polls from West Teachers’ constituency.
With this, Horatti, who has been elected as MLC seven successive times from 1980, has ended his long association with the JD(S).
Stating that he has not changed the party for the sake of power, in response to a question, the veteran politician said he never aspired for power and has effectively worked as minister and council chairman in the past.
Horatti said he has no misunderstanding with Deve Gowda or Kumaraswamy and has affection towards them. “I in fact spoke to Kumaraswamy, before making this decision…”
The senior politician also maintained that he is joining the BJP without any preconditions and none of his family members are interested in joining politics as of today.
Considered to be among the senior-most MLCs, the 76-year-old was seen as a prominent Lingayat face of the JD(S) from north Karnataka.
He had been education minister in the state, and was elected as the Chairman of the Legislative Council in February 2021.
Horatti has addressed his resignation letter to the Deputy Chairman, the position which is lying vacant for some time now.
“I have resigned, the cabinet will decide on the appointment of a pro-term Chairman (as Chairman and Deputy Chairman posts are vacant), and send it to the Governor for approval….the post will not be kept vacant, they will do it immediately,” he said.
