Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (SS)

Bengaluru, May 23: In a decision taken late in the night on Monday, the Congress party decided to appoint former minister U T Khader as the speaker of the assembly.

On Tuesday, May 23 at 11 am, Khader will file his nomination papers for the speaker's post and is likely to win unopposed.

According to a legislature bulletin, nominees who wish to contest the election for the speaker's post should submit their nominations before 12 noon on Tuesday, May 23.

On Monday, May 22, assembly pro-tem speaker R V Deshpande administered the oath to 182 newly elected legislators out of 224.

The Congress party asked Deshpande to take up the responsibility of Speaker. But, he refused to accept the post citing health reasons. Similarly, senior Congress leader and former minister H K Patil was also approached by the party to take up the speaker's post and so was B R Patil representing Alanda who is a close confidant of chief minister Siddaramaiah.

AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala landed in Bengaluru on Monday evening to help the party reach a decision on the appointment of the Speaker, sources said.

The party leadership approached and tried to convince former ministers T B Jayachandra, Basavaraja Rayareddi, Madhugiri MLA K N Rajanna, Molakalammuru MLA N Y Gopalakrishna to take up the Speaker's post but failed in its efforts.

The three-day legislature session will end on Wednesday, May 24 which will be followed by the likelihood of a cabinet expansion in which senior Congress leaders are hoping to get a ministerial berth.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar are likely to go to Delhi on Thursday to discuss and get approval for the cabinet formation and distribution of portfolios, sources said.