Bengaluru: Senior Congress MLA from Sira, T.B. Jaychandra, has been appointed as the Interim Speaker of the State Assembly.
His appointment comes just 4 days ahead of the 10-day State Legislature Session to be held at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru from Aug. 13 to 27 (barring public holidays). Soon after he was appointed as the Interim Speaker, T.B. Jayachandra, who is also a former Minister, said that necessary preparations for the 10-day Session will be made from Monday itself.
Pointing out that homage will be paid to the passing away of late Minister D. Sudhakar, who was a Minister in the previous Siddaramaiah Ministry, Chennamma, wife of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and other dignitaries who passed away recently, on the first day of the Session on Aug. 13, he said that the House proceedings will formally commence from the following day (Aug. 14).
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the portfolios of 19 new Ministers, who were inducted into the D.K. Shivakumar Cabinet on Aug. 3, will be allotted before the start of the Session.
Horatti writes to Governor
Senior MLC Basavaraj Horatti, who quit as Legislative Council Chairman on Saturday, said that the ruling Congress Government had pressurised him to resign.
In a letter addressed to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Horatti highlighted the developments that took place in his official chamber on Aug. 7.
Maintaining that he had planned to quit after thanking all the Legislative Council members on the second day of the Legislature Session on Aug. 14, he said that the Chief Minister asked him to quit on Aug. 7 itself, which directive came as a total surprise to him, he explained in the letter.
Opposition submits memorandum to Guv
With Basavaraj Horatti asserting that the ruling Congress Government forced him to quit, the Opposition BJP-JD(S) alliance has appealed the Governor not to accept the resignation of Horatti.
In a memorandum submitted to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Lok Bhavan on Sunday, the Opposition delegation, led by BJP MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, said that Horatti has not resigned as per the Council proceedings. Also, the Congress has named its Council Chairman and Deputy Chairperson candidates on the party’s letter head which is violative of the spirit of the Constitution. As such, Horatti’s resignation must not be accepted, the memorandum said.
