CM, leaders all praise for Horatti, Chairman of Council felicitated for completing 45 years as MLC

Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, who has already created a record for his eighth successive win from the teachers’ constituency, was given a grand and warm felicitation by leaders of various political parties, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, at Nehru Stadium in Hubballi on Saturday.

In the programme organised by the Basavaraj Horatti Felicitation Committee, people including Speaker U.T. Khader, former Chief Ministers Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi, Labour Minister Santosh Lad, Chief Government Whip in Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, and MLA N.H. Konaraddi were all praise for the veteran leader’s commitment to the cause of teachers and his humble nature, which they said, had won him admiration from even his political opponents.

The felicitation was organised to mark Mr. Horatti completing 45 years as MLC.

Recalling his long association with Mr. Horatti, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his friendship with Mr. Horatti was four decades old and he liked him because he was humble despite having won a record number of times.

“Mr. Horatti is liked because of his straightforward nature.  As Chairman of the Council, he has discharged his duties impartially and thereby increased the value of the post,” he said.

Law Minister H.K. Patil said he admired him for his untiring work for the welfare of teachers. “Teachers love him for his commitment to their welfare and his eighth record win is indicative of the same. My father too liked him for his work,” he said, terming Mr. Horatti ‘an honest worker of the teachers’.

Praising Mr. Horatti’s service to the State, Mr. Lad wished Mr. Horatti another term in office while Mr. Ahmed termed it a rare programme where leaders of different political parties had come together to honour him.

Mr. Shettar recalled how Mr. Horatti had been fighting for teachers for decades. He said Mr. Horatti had the credit of sanctioning the most schools and colleges during his tenure as Minister. He said that while he and Mr. Joshi managed to defeat Mr. Patil from the graduates’ constituency, they could not do so in the teachers’ constituency. However, Mr. Horatti himself had now come into the BJP fold, he said.

Mr. Bommai said that ‘Horatti Mastar’ as endearingly called by the teachers would not hesitate to fight even with Chief Ministers for the sake of teachers, but still maintained a good rapport with them irrespective of the political affiliations. “Mr. Horatti is a handsome teacher, intelligent politician, and sincere fighter,” he said.

Mr. Khader said that he and others had learnt a lot from Mr. Horatti and that his struggle would be an inspiration for others.

Mr. Joshi said that the programme was a mirror to the apolitical personality of Mr. Horatti. “While there are some leaders who had won record number of times, Mr. Horatti’s record is distinct as he has managed to win the hearts of two generations of teachers,” he said.

Responding to the felicitation, Mr. Horatti said that he was happy for the apolitical nature of the felicitation. “I am indebted to your show of love and I promise to repay you through honest service,” he said.

President of the felicitation committee Shankranna Munavalli read out the citation, as Mr. Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries felicitated Mr. Horatti by showering flower petals on him. A host of legislators, Deputy Chairman of Council Pranesh and others participated in the programme.