Three newly elected MLCs, including former CM Jagadish Shettar, take oath in Karnataka

Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Karnataka Minister and Congress National Secretary N S Boseraju and party leader Tippannappa Kamaknoor on Monday took oath as members of the Karnataka Legislative Council.

Bengaluru:Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Karnataka Minister and Congress National Secretary N S Boseraju and party leader Tippannappa Kamaknoor on Monday took oath as members of the Karnataka Legislative Council.

In the polls to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress won 135 seats, while the BJP secured 66 and the JD(S) 19. Shettar formerly headed the BJP government as chief minister for 10 months from July 12, 2012. He has also served as the leader of the opposition in the Assembly as well as the Assembly Speaker variously.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil were among those present on the occasion. The new MLC members were elected unopposed in the June 30 elections as the opposition BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) did not field candidates.

The three MLC seats had fallen vacant following the resignation of Baburao Chinchansur, R Shankar and Laxman Savadi, who fought the Assembly elections in May elections. While Savadi won the election, Chinchansur and Shankar lost.

Shettar, a former chief minister who recently joined Congress after being denied a ticket from the Bharatiya Janata Party, and Laxman Savadi, who formerly served as the deputy CM during the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government, belong to the Lingayat community which was believed to have a crucial impact on electoral outcomes in the state.