Basavaraj Horatti resigns as Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council and MLC, to join BJP
Bengaluru, May 16: As he is all set to join the ruling BJP, senior politician Basavaraj Horatti on Monday resigned as the Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council, and also as an MLC.
Thanking the leadership of his former party JD(S) -- H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy -- for the opportunity, Horatti said they still consider him as their family member.
"I have resigned today as the Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council along with that also as MLC...I will be joining the BJP tomorrow, most probably at the party office in Bengaluru," Horatti told reporters here.
"Sometimes sudden changes happen. As some in my constituency and well-wishers were putting pressure on me insisting that I change, I had to accept it... I first got elected as an independent and thereafter got associated with the then Janata Dal and its breakaway JD(S). In 42 years of my political life, this is my first change," he added.
Horatti had earlier this month met Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the latter's visit to Bengaluru. He is likely to be fielded as the party's candidate for the upcoming MLC polls from West Teachers' constituency.
With this, Horatti, who has been elected as MLC seven successive times from 1980, has ended his long association with the JD(S).
Stating that he has not changed the party for the sake of power, in response to a question, the veteran politician said he never aspired for power and has effectively worked as minister and council chairman in the past.
Horatti said he has no misunderstanding with Deve Gowda or Kumaraswamy and has affection towards them. "I in fact spoke to Kumaraswamy, before making this decision..."
The senior politician also maintained that he is joining the BJP without any preconditions and none of his family members are interested in joining politics as of today.
Considered to be among the senior-most MLCs, the 76-year-old was seen as a prominent Lingayat face of the JD(S) from north Karnataka.
He had been education minister in the state, and was elected as the Chairman of the Legislative Council in February 2021.
Horatti has addressed his resignation letter to the Deputy Chairman, the position which is lying vacant for some time now.
"I have resigned, the cabinet will decide on the appointment of a pro-term Chairman (as Chairman and Deputy Chairman posts are vacant), and send it to the Governor for approval....the post will not be kept vacant, they will do it immediately," he said.
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KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
