Belagavi (PTI): Basavaraj Horatti was on Wednesday elected unopposed as Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council.

The 76-year-old eight time MLC had ended his long association with Janata Parivar and resigned from the Janata Dal (Secular) as well as the Member of Legislative Council in May this year, two months before his tenure was to come to an end. He later joined the BJP.

With the BJP enjoying majority in the 75-member House, the Congress and JDS had opted out of the race.

In absence of an elected Chairman, Raghunath Rao Malkapure was serving as pro-tem Chairman.

Horatti's family members were present in the visitors' gallery at the 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' here, where the legislature session is being held, when he assumed charge.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Ministers in the Karnataka government were among those who greeted him on the occasion.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday took a swipe at Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, by calling him a "Manuvadi" after his alliance with the BJP, for seeking the inclusion of Bhagavad Gita in curriculum for students.

The CM's dig came in response to Kumaraswamy's recent letter to Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, requesting the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita in the curriculum of students.

"After Kumaraswamy joined hands with the BJP for elections, he has become a Manuvadi," Siddaramaiah told reporters here after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary here.

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Remembering Ambedkar, Siddaramaiah highlighted his contribution to the Constitution and his relentless fight to provide social justice.

The CM noted said fed up with social and caste system in Hinduism, and unable to reform it, Ambedkar accepted Buddhism.

He said, "Ambedkar, towards the end of his life, quit Hinduism and joined Buddhism. He was born in Hinduism, but cannot die in Hinduism, because he could not reform Hinduism, despite several efforts, so he accepted Buddhism."