S R Patil vs Basavaraj Horatti: Congress, JD(S) spar over Legislative Council chief
Bengaluru: Just when the dust had settled following a bitter row between the coalition partners over portfolio sharing and the presentation of a fresh budget, a new controversy has cropped up in the JD(S)-Congress coalition over the prestigious post of chairman of the Legislative Council which has left JD(S) leaders annoyed.
Under the guise of expressing gratitude to senior Congress MLC S.R. Patil for his help in ensuring the victory of former CM Siddaramaiah from Badami Assembly constituency, the Congress has staked its claim to the chairman post. The governor had earlier appointed senior JD(S) legislator and former minister, Mr Basavaraj Horatti as 'protem chairman' following the end of the tenure of Mr D.H. Shankarmurthy last week.
Now, the Congress has demanded that the chairman post should be allotted to it because of the majority it enjoys in the 75-member Legislative Council. This has put the JD(S) in a spot. At the time of getting support from the Congress to form the coalition government, the JD(S) had wanted both the Speaker and chairman posts for itself. Though Congress leaders had reportedly agreed at that time, it later took a U-turn on the ground that it had 79 members under its belt in the Assembly because of which the Speaker should be from the Congress.
In the garb of expressing gratitude to senior Congress MLC S.R. Patil for his help in ensuring the victory of former CM Siddaramaiah from Badami Assembly constituency, the Congress has staked its claim to the chairman post. The governor had earlier appointed senior JD(S) legislator and former minister, Mr Basavaraj Horatti as 'protem chairman' following the end of the tenure of Mr D.H. Shankarmurthy last week. Now, the Congress has demanded that the chairman post should be allotted to it because of the majority it enjoys in the 75-member Legislative Council. This has put the JD(S) in a spot. In fact, at the time of getting support from the Congress to form the coalition government, the JD(S) had wanted both the Speaker and chairman posts for itself. Though Congress leaders had reportedly agreed at that time, it later took a U-turn on the ground that it had 79 members under its belt in the Assembly because of which the Speaker should be from the Congress.
The JD(S) agreed to this half-heartedly despite a warning from party legislators about the Congress taking their party for a ride by imposing new conditions every day. JD(S) sources confirmed to Deccan Chronicle that a demand had been made by its coalition partner in this regard because of its strength in the Upper House. Mr Siddaramaiah has reportedly demanded that Mr Patil should be made the Council Chairman in place of Mr Horatti which has annoyed both 'father & son' in the JD(S), said sources. “If numbers are the benchmark, why did the Congress not take the chief minister’s post? As per discussions held before the formation of the new government, it was agreed to give the CM post to the JD(S) and Deputy CM to the Congress. Similarly, the Speaker post was to go to the Congress and Deputy Speaker to the JD(S). After snatching important posts, the Congress now wants the Council Chairman post which is unacceptable. Mr Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy should firmly say ‘no’ to the Congress demand,” a source said.
Sources pointed out that Mr Horatti would be upset in case he was asked to make way for a Congress candidate. He was not ready to accept any post other than that of minister because of his four decades of experience in the Upper House but Mr Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy requested him to take up the chairman post and also promised his induction into the ministry after some time. However Mr S.R. Patil is exerting pressure through,Mr Siddaramaiah on PCC President Dr G Parameshwar and AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, to get his name cleared for the chairman post, sources said adding that some of the JD(S) legislators do not mind sitting in the opposition if Mr Horatti is removed from the chairman’s post.
