Karnataka Assembly 2023: U T Khader appointed as new speaker

Karnataka Congress MLA U T Khader shone as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition during the 15th Karnataka Assembly, which was replaced by a new Assembly after the May 10 elections. Karnataka Assembly 2023: U T Khader appointed as new speaker.

Known for his calm and composed demeanor, the 53-year-old MLA from Mangaluru became the prime focus of the party during the last few Assembly sessions. Despite being considered a strong contender for a ministerial position in the new Congress government, Khader’s surprise nomination came as the new Assembly Speaker.

Khader, 54, a five-time MLA from Mangaluru, is a low-profile Congressman from coastal Karnataka with the past experience of working as a minister in charge of health and urban development portfolios. He filed the nomination for the post on Tuesday, and his election is only a formality as the ruling party has 135 members in the 224-member assembly.

The party will also get the deputy speaker post. During his time in the Assembly, Khader fearlessly addressed various issues affecting the public, often challenging the BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai. He battled the government on several occasions on the floor of the Assembly, often when top party leaders such as the Leader of the Opposition and current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were absent.

Also Read: CM Siddaramaiah killed 24 Hindu activists: Case filed against Harish Poonja

Khader was among the rare politicians, apart from H D Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (Secular), who last year criticised the BJP government after the CM visited the homes of members of the majority community and avoided the families of religious minorities after incidents of communal murders.

Also Read: Weather Report: IMD issued heavy rainfall alert for 3 days

“This clearly shows that the government has a separate policy for minorities in the state and for their party workers there is a separate policy. They are not working according to the constitution and their clear-cut agenda is evident in their actions,” said the MLA.

Also Read: Aadhaar card Update free till June 14: Step by step guide to avail free service

Khader is widely known to have a non-confrontational attitude outside the legislature, building bridges across communities and the political divide to achieve goals. Khader served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Deputy LoP) between February 2022 and March.