Bangalore, May 23 (). Former Karnataka minister and five-time MLA U.T. Khader filed his nomination for the post of Assembly Speaker on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Khader, who was accompanied by Shivakumar and cabinet minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, filed his nomination at Vidhana Soudha.
He will be the first person from the Muslim community to become the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Congress sources said he has agreed to a two-year term. The high command has assured to include him in the cabinet later.
The house will elect the speaker on May 24 and Khader is likely to be unanimously elected as per tradition.
His name was proposed by Siddaramaiah and seconded by Shivakumar. The nomination papers were handed over to Assembly Secretary Vishalakshi.
Khadar has served as Health Minister, Food and Civil Supplies in the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah in 2013. He also served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly.
Sources said that veteran leader R.V. Deshpande, T.B. Jayachandra and H.K. Patil was the choice of the party. However, the seniors flatly refused this proposal. Deshpande even said that he is not fit for the post.
AICC secretary K.C. Venugopal and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala personally spoke to Khader and requested him to take over the post in the interest of the party.
Later Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also personally spoke to him and persuaded him. Though Khadar hails from communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada, he never made any provocative statement or used foul language.
During his tenure as health minister under the Siddaramaiah government, he banned gutka.
He is also known for streamlining and simplifying the process of obtaining a ration card as the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies.
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