Though the winter session of the State legislature is set to begin on Monday in Belagavi, the Opposition BJP is yet to choose the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.
In the 75-member Council, the BJP is in the majority with 34 members, excluding Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, followed by 29 members of the Congress, eight members of the Janata Dal (Secular) and an Independent member. While two seats are vacant.
Sources said the party may weigh the factor of regional balance more than the caste factor while declaring its leader in the Council. Hence a leader from North Karnataka might get a chance to lead the Opposition in the Council as BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra belongs to Malnad/Central Karnataka and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok is from South Karnataka. Both are from Old Mysore region.
Hence the names of senior member and three-time MLC Shashil G. Namoshi, elected from the Northeast Teachers’ constituency, from Kalaburagi, and Raghunath Rao Malkapure from Bidar are prominently doing the rounds in the party circles for this post. Mr. Malkapure is also a former State general secretary of the party and he was also a former State president of BJP Yuva Morcha.
If the caste factor is taken into account, the party is unlikely to select another leader from the Vokkaliga or Lingayat communities to lead it in the Council. It might opt for a leader from the other backward class (OBC). In that case, the names of the former Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, Mr. Malkapure, and N. Ravi Kumar may come up for selection, sources said.
The State spokesperson of the BJP Ganesh Karnik told The Hindu that the party is expected to announce the name of the Opposition Leader in the Council in a day or two as Mr. Vijayendra and Mr. Ashok have held talks in this regard. Mr. Vijayendra is in Delhi and the announcement is likely to be made after his return, he said.
Meanwhile, the names of Aravind Bellad and V. Sunil Kumar, MLAs, are doing the rounds for the post of Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Mr. Bellad’s name is also heard for the post of the party whip in the Assembly. Meanwhile, senior North Karnataka leaders are insisting that a legislator from the region be made the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Sources said that the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in the Council will provide clarity concerning caste and regional representation while making appointments for other posts like Deputy Leader of the Opposition and party whip in the Assembly.
