With the Coalition Coordination Committee and its head, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, remaining firm on pushing the candidature of senior party leader S.R. Patil for the post of Chairman of the Legislative Council, chances of pro-tem Chairman Basavaraja Horatti of JD(S) occupying the post looks bleak.
Secretary general of JD(S), Danish Ali, who has been camping in Bengaluru for the past four days is learnt to have tried his best to push forward Mr. Horatti’s candidature during his meeting with Congress leaders.
According to party sources, though Mr. Ali met Mr. Siddaramaiah, Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, K.C. Venugopal and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, and bargained for the post of Chairman, leaving the posts of Chief Whip and Deputy Chairman’s post to the Congress, he failed to break the ice, as Mr. Siddaramaiah was firm on Mr. Patil’s candidature.
It is said that before completion of the ongoing budget session, the new chairman would replace Mr. Horatti.
It is said that Mr. Siddaramaiah, who wanted to tighten his hold on the State Congress had put the ball in the JD(S)’s court, by asking Mr. Ali to accommodate Mr. Horatti in the Cabinet from its quota. Sources said Mr. Siddaramaiah, wants to hit two birds with one stone.
“By inducting Mr. Horatti into the Cabinet, because of his seniority, he would become the floor leader. With this, Congress could placate MLCs who are opposed to Ms. Jaimala occupying the post of Leader of the House,” a senior leader said.
However, sources in JD(S) argued that there was no question of accommodating Mr. Horatti, who belongs to Veerashaiva Lingayat community, in the Cabinet as the party had already filled the Veerashaiva Lingayat quota.
JD(S) stand
“Besides, the JD(S) has already decided against accommodating MLCs in the Cabinet. If we accommodate Mr. Horatti, other MLCs would get upset,” said a senior party leader.
