Files nomination papers

Bengaluru: Ending the suspense over its Speaker candidate, with senior MLAs of the party refusing to accept the post out of fear of getting into political oblivion, the ruling Congress today named five-time MLA U.T. Khader as the party’s nominee for the Speaker’s post, the election to which is due tomorrow (May.24).

Khader, whose name was proposed by CM Siddharamaiah and approved by Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, presented his nomination papers to Vidhana Sabha Secretary M.K. Vishalakshi in the presence of the CM and Deputy CM.

Khader is all set to become the youngest and the first Muslim Speaker of the State. Khader, who is Congress MLA for five successive terms from Mangaluru Constituency (erstwhile Ullal), is also a former Minister. He had served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition during the previous BJP Government. He first contested in the 2007 bypolls from Ullal Constituency  after his father U.T. Fareed’s demise.

Fareed had also represented Ullal Constituency for four successive terms.

Though the Congress discussed the names of senior MLAs and former Ministers R.V. Deshpande, H.K. Patil and T.B. Jayachandra, none of the three showed interest in the job, which forced the Congress leadership to look at other leaders and ultimately the party found its choice in Khader.

His candidature will be formalised during the CLP meeting tomorrow. The ruling party’s nominee is, generally, unanimously elected as the Assembly Speaker.