Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Karnataka Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti resigns amid Congress majority
There is a special group in Karnataka called the Legislative Council that helps make laws.
The person in charge of that group was Basavaraj Horatti.
He decided to leave his job on Friday.
He had planned to leave a little later, during a big meeting on August 14.
But he moved up his plan after talking with the Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar.
Horatti said people asked him to leave right away, so he did.
A political party called Congress just got more members in the Council.
Now Congress wants one of its own people to be the new leader of the Council.
A man named Salim Ahmed might get that job.
This change gives Congress more power in the Council.
Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti resigned from his constitutional post on Friday.
He advanced his resignation, originally planned for August 14, after meeting Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha.
Horatti said he was asked to resign immediately, though his letter described the decision as voluntary.
The resignation came after Congress secured a clear majority in the Council following elections to four vacant seats.
Congress is expected to elect its own member as Chairman, with senior leader Salim Ahmed emerging as the frontrunner.
- Who
- Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council, and Congress leader Salim Ahmed, the frontrunner to replace him.
- What
- Horatti resigned as Legislative Council Chairman, advancing his resignation ahead of the planned August 14 date.
- When
- Friday
- Where
- Bengaluru, at the Chairman's chamber in Vidhana Soudha.
- Why
- Congress had secured a clear majority in the Council and began efforts to install its own nominee as Chairman; Horatti said he was asked to resign immediately.
Congress perspective
Horatti's account
Voluntary resignation vs. pressure to step down
Congress perspective
Horatti resigned voluntarily, as stated in his letter, and Congress is legitimately using its freshly won majority to occupy a key constitutional post with its own nominee.
Horatti's account
Horatti said he had been requested to resign immediately and expressed disappointment that his tenure ended before completion, indicating the ruling party pushed out an opposition-appointed Chairman.
- Position
- Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council
- Planned resignation date
- August 14
- Resignation accepted by
- Secretary of the Legislative Council
- Meeting held with
- Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar
- Trigger
- Congress majority in the Upper House after elections to four vacant seats
- Frontrunner for successor
- Salim Ahmed (Congress)
- Location
- Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru