Bengaluru: After winning the floor test in the Assembly, the coalition partners – Congress and JD(S) have focused their attention on taking control of the Legislative Council. A majority will ensure smooth passage of its important bills in coming days.
After coalition government came into existence, the scenario in the 75-member strengthened Legislative Council too has changed. Congress and JD(S) alliance is all set to get majority and claim stake to Chairman and Deputy Chairman post in the Council after incumbent Chairman D.H. Shankarmurthy’s term gets over in June 2018. At present, BJP and JD(S) hold Chairman and Deputy Chairman posts respectively.
Congress- JD(S) tally increases in the House
At present, party-wise strength in the Council is BJP- 26, JD(S)- 14 and Congress -30. Following the alliance pact between the Congress and the JD(S) in the Assembly, the same alliance will continue in the Council and the combined alliance will attain majority in the House by securing 44 (30+14) seats.
Meanwhile biennial elections will be held to Council from the Legislative Assembly for 11 seats. Elections will be held to the Council from Teacher’s and Graduate Constituencies for 6 seats in June 2018. Four seats are vacant after Dr. G.Parameshwar, K.S.Eshwarappa, V. Somanna and Basavaraj Patil Itnal got elected to the Assembly in the just concluded elections. Besides term of three nominated members Tara Anuradha, K.B. Shanappa and M.D. Laxminarayana will expire in June 2018. All these seats put together, 24 seats will be vacant by June 2018.
Once elections will held to all 24 vacant seats, JD(S) and Congress alliance will hold majority, both alliance partners will even increase its present tally. On the other hand, BJP number will get reduced to 11 from 26 after June 2018. Thus incumbent Chairman of the Council, D.H. Shankarmurthy will loose his post.
JD(S) will get Chairman post
Since JD(S) gave up Speaker post to the Congress in the Lower House, in turn Congress is likely to give up Chairman post to JD(S) in the Upper House and it will claim Deputy Chairman post.
Veteran members and seventh term MLC of JD(S), Basavaraj Horatti is likely to be pitched for the Chairman post in the Council. Horrati is the seniormost member in the party and his command over parliamentary proceedings in the House may push him as natural choice to the post. Also, Horatti has cordial relationship with Congress. However, Horatti is no mood to accept the post and is more interested to get into H.D. Kumaraswamy Cabinet. If Horatti remains reluctant to accept post of Chairman, deputy Chairman Marithibbegowda will get Chairman post.
