Bengaluru, 14 August (H.S.): Congress MLA Gurupadagouda Sanganagouda Patil was elected Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday, amid a boycott by the opposition BJP and JD(S).

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar proposed Patil's name, while Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara seconded the motion. Pro-tem Speaker T.B. Jayachandra, who presided over the proceedings, declared Patil elected following a voice vote.

Popularly known as G.S. Patil, the four-time MLA represents the Ron Assembly constituency in Gadag district. A prominent Lingayat leader, he previously served as chairperson of the Karnataka Mineral Development Corporation and Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited.

The Speaker's post had remained vacant since U.T. Khader resigned ahead of his induction into the Shivakumar-led Council of Ministers on June 3.

In the Legislative Council, senior Congress member Saleem Ahmed was elected Chairperson on Thursday. Former chairperson and senior member Basavaraj Horatti, whose resignation had created the vacancy, was among those who congratulated Ahmed following his election.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said the BJP and JD(S) boycotted the Speaker's election to protest against the Congress announcing its nominee on the party's official letterhead before the House could elect its presiding officer.

Ashoka alleged that the ruling party had undermined the sovereignty of the legislature and the rights of elected representatives by announcing the Speaker's name in advance.

He was referring to an August 3 letter from the Congress high command to Shivakumar that listed 19 Cabinet nominees along with the party's choices for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Council.

However, Ashoka said the opposition would extend due respect to the Speaker's chair and office following the election.

Earlier, Shivakumar introduced the newly inducted Cabinet ministers to the House. This is the first Assembly session since the new Cabinet assumed office.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman