Malayali U T Khader for Karnataka speaker’s post, to file nominations today

BENGALURU: Congress MLA and Malayali U T Khader (52) is set to become the speaker of the Karnataka assembly. He will file his nomination papers today. The high command has approved his nomination for the post.

The names of R V Deshpande, H K Patil and T B Jayachandra were heard for the post. Khader’s name for the post was unexpected.

Khader, who belongs to the Kasaragod Uppala Pallath family, was deputy opposition leader in the assembly. If appointed as Speaker, he would be the first individual from a minority community to hold this post.

Khader is an MLA from Mangaluru constituency in Dakshina Kannada district. He defeated BJP leader Sathish Kumpala for more than 20,000 votes. Khader is reaching the assembly for the fifth time. He reached the assembly for the first time in 2007.