Bengaluru: Five-term Congress MLA K R Ramesh Kumar was on Friday elected as the Speaker of the Karnataka assembly, after BJP candidate S Suresh Kumar pulled out of the race.
The move was apparently adopted after the BJP, which is the single largest party with 104 MLAs, failed to muster support of additional lawmakers required for the victory of its candidate.
As the House met and pro-tem speaker K G Bopaiah took up the matter, BJP’s Sunil Kumar stood up and said he was not moving the motion proposing Suresh Kumar for the Speaker’s post. Suresh Kumar then said, “I accept it.”
Ramesh Kumar’s name was then proposed by former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and seconded by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara. The motion was unanimously adopted by the House.
Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa escorted Ramesh Kumar to the chair.
The Congress-JD(S) combine has claimed support of 117 members.
The Congress has 78 MLAs, Kumaraswamy’s JD(S) 36, and BSP 1. The alliance has also claimed support of the lone KPJP MLA and an independent. Kumaraswamy had won from two seats.
