Basavaraj Horatti accuses Congress of hijacking Karnataka Council post

Horatti revealed that the request came during a private meeting with Shivakumar, who indicated the party wanted the vacancy filled without delay. Rather than complying instantly, Horatti insisted on addressing the Legislative Council first to place the matter on the record. He maintains that the authority to appoint the Chairman rests with the House itself, not with party leadership directives.

The tension stems from a broader push by the Congress high command to consolidate leadership across the legislature. The party has already signaled its intent to appoint G.S. Patil as Assembly Speaker, A.S. Ponnanna as Deputy Speaker, Saleem Ahmed as Legislative Council Chairperson, and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson. Horatti views this unilateral imposition of candidates as a direct assault on democratic principles, arguing that the legislative process has been bypassed in favor of internal party dictates. He intends to present his account of these events to the House, leaving the final decision to the chamber’s collective judgment.