Bengaluru, 13 August

Senior Congress MLA G S Patil and MLC Saleem Ahmed filed their nominations on Thursday for the posts of Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Chairman of the Legislative Council, respectively. Elections for both these posts are scheduled for 14 August.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP-JD(S) combine on Thursday proposed PH Pujar for the post of Legislative Council Chairman, ensuring a contest.

However, in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP, the principal Opposition party, decided to boycott the Speaker election.

The nominations were submitted to Assembly Secretary MK Vishalakshi and Council Secretary Jyothi. 

The Speaker post fell vacant following the resignations of UT Khader ahead of his induction into the Shivakumar-led council of ministers on 3 June, while the Council Chairman post became vacant following Basavaraj Horatti's recent resignation. The Congress had asked him to voluntarily resign or face a no-confidence motion. 

For the Assembly Speaker post, LoP in the Lower House R Ashoka said that it was “unconstitutional” for the Congress to name the new Speaker on its official letterhead. 

“The House has its own sovereignty, and the elected representatives here have their own rights,” he said. 

He said that entire House has been "hijacked" by the Congress and that democracy has been “murdered”. He also accused the Congress of pressuring Horrati to resign. 

The Congress has 38 members in the 75-member Council. BJP has 24 members, the JD(S) has 6, there is one independent, and five seats are vacant, in addition to the Chairman.

Pujar is an MLC from the Vijayapura-Bagalkot local authorities' constituency, while Congress’ Speaker candidate Patil is a four-time MLA from the Ron constituency in Gadag.