Horatti Resigns As Chief Of K’taka Legislative Council, Joins BJP
Mumbai: Former senior JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti on Wednesday joined the BJP after resigning as the Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council and MLC.
He joined the BJP in the presence of Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and BJP National General Secretary CT Ravi, among others. ”
He joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, BJP National General Secretary CT Ravi, Ministers R Ashok, Govind Karjol, CC Patil among others.
“Basavaraj Horatti has been a member of the Legislative Council for about 45 years and has served as its President and Minister. He is a leader with much experience, and much respect and is working for teachers. After deciding to join BJP he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and resigned from his post and has officially joined the party today,” Bommai said.
Talking to reporters after welcoming the senior leader, he said, “The BJP is soon organizing a huge program in Hubli to celebrate his joining the party.”
He said, “His joining has strengthened the party. No one has the record of being MLC for so long across the country. It has strengthened the party, especially in the North Karnataka region. We will use his experience and will give him all the opportunities and respect he deserves,” he added.
With this, Horatti, who has been elected MLC for seven consecutive terms since 1980, has severed his long association with the JD(S).
He is likely to be fielded as a BJP candidate for the upcoming MLC elections from the West Teachers’ Constituency.
The 76-year-old, considered the most senior MLC, was seen as a prominent Lingayat face of the JD(S) in northern Karnataka.
He was the education minister in the state and was elected as the chairman of the Legislative Council in February 2021.
On Tuesday, Horatti told reporters, “I have resigned today as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Council as well as the MLC… I will join the BJP tomorrow, probably at the party office in Bengaluru.”
“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 chance,” he added.
(With Agency Inputs)
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