Bengaluru: M.K. Pranesh of the ruling BJP was elected as the new Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council on the second day today of the week-long Joint Session of the State Legislature.

With the Opposition Congress fielding K.C. Kondaiah as its candidate yesterday,  voting became a necessity and as such polling took place. Pranesh won the polls by getting 41 votes as against 24 of the Congress candidate.

On Wednesday, the ruling BJP and the JD(S) had firmed up their alliance in the Legislative Council, with the BJP getting the Deputy Chairman’s post and the JD(S), the Chairman post. The Deputy Chairman seat had fallen vacant following the demise of S.L. Dharmegowda of the JD(S) in December last.

JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti, who is the senior-most member of the Legislative Council, is all set to become the Chairman of the Upper House, as BJP and JD(S) combined together have a majority in the 75-member House. The BJP and the JD(S) have issued a notice to move a no-confidence motion against the incumbent Chairman Pratapchandra Shetty of the Congress, who was appointed when the JD(S)-Congress coalition Government was in power.