Bengaluru: Senior JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti was today elected as the new Chairman of the Legislative Council.

Soon as the Council Session began, Congress members staged a protest in the Well of the House claiming that their demand for a division of vote on the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Bill was overlooked. But the BJP and JD(S) members appealed the Congress members to withdraw the protest and take part in the election. But as the Congress members were unrelenting, JD(S) members K.V. Narayanaswamy and Appaji Gowda proposed to declare election of Horatti.

Later, the polling was held, following which the Legislative Council Deputy Chairman M.K. Pranesh declared Horatti as the Council Chairman.

The election of Horatti is the result of an understanding reached by the ruling BJP, which is short of majority in the Upper House, with JD(S).

BJP and JD(S) had moved a ‘No Confidence Motion’ against Pratapchandra Shetty of the Congress. But Shetty resigned  last week, thus paving the way for the election of a new Council Chairman.

Horatti, who represents JD(S), is the senior most MLC, having got elected for seven consecutive terms from North-West Teachers Constituency. He has been a member of the Upper House since 1980 when he was first elected to the Council. He had also served as a Minister in the Congress- JD(S) Coalition Government in 2004 and in the JD(S)-BJP Coalition Government in 2006.