Karnataka legislative council chairman Basavaraj Horatti resigns, says 'don't know why Congress asked me to leave'

Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti resigned on Friday at the request of the Congress party. Horatti expressed surprise over the decision, stating he did not know why the Congress party asked him to leave. The Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, had spoken to Horatti twice on the phone and held a personal meeting with him, informing him that the party's high command had directed him to resign.

If Horatti refused to step down, the Congress party threatened to initiate a no-confidence motion against him. Horatti tendered his resignation on August 14, stating he was deeply pained by the developments and wished to resign after bringing the matter to the House's attention. Despite reassurances from the Chief Minister and ministers, Horatti rejected the decision, calling it unprecedented and anti-democratic.

The Congress party had nominated Saleem Ahmed as the Legislative Council Chairman and Umashree as the Deputy Chairperson, with G S Patil and A S Ponnanna appointed as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.