Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Basavaraj Horatti was on Wednesday, December 21, unanimously chosen as the Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. Horatti, who joined the BJP in May this year, was chosen for the post unopposed by all parties, after the opposition Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) did not nominate a candidate.

After a voice vote in the House, where the BJP holds a majority, pro tem Chairman Raghunath Rao Malkapure announced that Horatti will now occupy the post of Chairman of the Legislative Council. While the BJP has a majority in the Council, Congress holds 26 of the 75 seats in the house. JD(S) holds eight seats, while the house has one Independent member. Horatti is taking over as Chairman for the third time in addition to being elected to the Legislative Council a record eight times.

Horatti, a 76-year-old MLC representing the West Teachers seat, presented his papers for the position on Tuesday. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai along with the law minister, JC Madhuswamy, Water Resources Minister, Govind Karjol, and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa were present.

Before joining the BJP, Horatti was associated with the JD(S) for a long time, and was elected as MLC seven successive times since 1980. From 2004 to 2006, Horatti had worked in the Dharam Singh coalition government as the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Minister of Information Technology, and Small Savings. From 2006 to 2007, he worked in the HD Kumaraswamy government as the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education.