Congress leader U T Khader files nomination paper

Karnataka’s former minister and five-time MLA U T Khader on Tuesday filed his nomination as Congress candidate for the post of Speaker of the 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. Election to the post of Speaker is scheduled for Wednesday. As per convention, the ruling party’s nominee is generally elected unanimously as the Speaker. If elected to the post, 53-year-old Khader will be the first Muslim leader to serve as Speaker of Karnataka Assembly. Khader had served as Deputy Leader of Opposition in the previous Assembly and had also served as a minister in the past.