Bengaluru: Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti on Friday  quit as Legislative Council Chairman, following loss of support.

Horatti, who had refused to resign after the Congress gained majority in the Upper House,  finally yielded after being convinced  by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and KPCC President B.K. Hariprasad at Bengaluru this morning. The Congress currently  has a majority with 38 members in the 75-member House. The ruling Congress has 38 members, the BJP 24, JD(S) 6 and others two, with 5 seats vacant. However, Horatti is likely to continue as the caretaker  Chairman,  until a new Chairman is formally elected, it is learnt.

Horatti is the senior-most MLC, having got elected from North-West Teachers Constituency for 8 successive terms since 1980.