Bengaluru: Bringing to an end all speculations on ‘will he or won’t he,’ Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti on Tuesday joined BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Bengaluru.

Horatti, a JD(S) member, who was elected to the Legislative Council from West Teachers Constituency  for a record seven consecutive terms, had recently  hinted that he would be quitting the JD(S) and join the BJP.

Now Horatti, who met Amit Shah at Taj West End Hotel in the State capital yesterday, joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Ministers R.Ashoka and Kota Srinivas Poojari and MLA and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.

Horatti is likely to submit his resignation as Legislative Council Chairman on May 11. He will contest the MLC seat from West Teachers Constituency on a  BJP ticket this time.

Horatti, who began his political career from Janata Parivar, was associated with Janata Dal-S for many years.

Meanwhile, the BJP, which was anticipating the induction of Horatti into the party, had not announced its candidate for West Teachers Constituency though it had announced candidates for the rest of the Constituencies that are going to the polls, which are likely to be held in June.