Karnataka Council Chairman KP Shetty resigns as JDS-BJP call for no-confidence motion

In an apparent hint at JD(S)-BJP's sealed deal over the Karnataka council chairmanship, the current chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty (Congress) resigned from his post on Wednesday, without bringing the no-confidence motion against him to a vote. Both BJP and JD(S) have sought his removal and unsuccessfully tried to move a no-confidence motion against him. Sources report that Shetty will submit his resignation to the Deputy Chairman of the House once the session concludes.

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BJP bags Dy Chairmanship

On January 29, BJP member M K Pranesh was elected Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative council, defeating Congress nominee K C Kondaiah. The election to the Deputy's post was necessitated after the untimely demise of JD(S)'s SL Dharmegowda - who was found dead on a railway track near Kadur in Chikkamagaluru. While a suicide note was recovered, a probe has been initiated into his death after JD(S) alleged foul play.

This bonhomie between JD(S) and BJP was after party supremo HD Deve Gowda spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president JP Nadda, seeking the saffron party's support for Basavaraj Horatti- JD(S) candidate for the Chairman post. Though BJP is the single-largest party in the Legislative Council with 31 seats, it requires the support of JD(S) which has 13 MLCs for the passage of crucial legislation. Observing that he has the experience, seniority and trust of legislators cutting across party lines to conduct the proceedings of the Upper House, Horatti exuded confidence in BJP accepting his candidature. JD(S) has also reached out to BJP in December when it backed the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020 which eased the restrictions on buying agricultural land. 

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Failed attempt to oust Chairman

The Karnataka Legislative Council was reconvened on December 15 to take up many bills for passage apart from the no-confidence motion against Chairman K Prathap Chandra Shetty. However, the House had to be adjourned as an argument broke out between Congress MLCs and the treasury benches. Congress cried foul over Council Deputy Chairman SL Dharmegowda occupying the Chair instead of K Prathap Chandra Shetty.

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Moreover, they forcefully dragged the Deputy Chairman from the seat after which marshals had to be called in to control the situation. Accusing BJP legislators of restricting his entry to the Council, Shetty contended that the happenings of December 15 had brought "disrespect" to the House. Meanwhile, BJP and JD(S) MLCs met the Karnataka Governor to apprise him of the situation and sought his intervention. Thereafter, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa slammed Congress for its shameful act and called upon the Sonia Gandhi-led party to ask Shetty to immediately tender his resignation.

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