U T Khader files nomination for Karnataka Speaker's post

Khader is set to become the youngest Speaker of the State Assembly

Former minister and five-time MLA U T Khader on Tuesday filed his nomination as Congress candidate for the post of Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

Khader, an MLA from Mangaluru Assembly segment, filed his nomination at the office of Assembly Secretary, in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and other Congress leaders.

His election to the post will be formalised on Wednesday.

The ruling party's nominated candidate is generally, unanimously elected as the Speaker. Once elected, he will be the first Muslim leader to occupy the Speaker's post in Karnataka.

Khader served as the Deputy leader of the Opposition during the previous BJP-led government. A five-time MLA, he first contested in the 2007 bypolls from the erstwhile Ullal constituency (now Mangaluru), after his father UT Fareed's demise. Fareed was a four-time legislator from the same constituency and his demise necessitated the bypolls. Ever since, Khader has consecutively won from Mangaluru constituency.

In the 2013 Siddaramaiah-led government, he was first the health minister and later in held the Food and Civil Supplies portfolio. In the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2018, Khader held both the Housing and Urban Development portfolios.

(With inputs from DHNS)