Former Minister and five-time MLA U.T. Khader is the choice of the Congress for the post of Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
Mr Khader filed his nomination for the Speaker’s post on May 22. The ruling party’s nominee is, generally, unanimously elected as the Speaker.
If elected, Mr Khader will be the first Muslim leader to serve in the post of Speaker of the Assembly in Karnataka.
While the names of senior party leaders and former ministers R.V. Deshpande and H.K. Patil were being discussed, sources said both did not show interest in the job.
AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala persuaded Mr Khader to take up the job, sources in the Congress said.
U.T. Khader filed his nomination for the Speaker’s post on May 22, 2023. He was accompanied by, among others, Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Who is U.T. Khader
Born on October 12, 1969, Mr Khader served as Deputy Leader of Opposition when BJP was in charge of the government (2019-23).
He holds a bachelor’s degree in law. He started his political career as a district functionary of the NSUI in the 1990s. He is a five-time MLA.
His first contest was the 2007 by-poll from the erstwhile Ullal constituency (now Mangaluru) after the demise of his father U.T. Fareed who was the sitting MLA. Since then, he has won every election from Mangaluru constituency.
He served as the Health, and the Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government during 2013-18. In the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in 2018-19, Mr Khader held the portfolios of Housing and Urban Development.
