Karnataka floor test: KG Bopaiah appointed pro tem speaker, seniority ignored

Karnataka Governor appointed KG Bhopaiah as pro tem speaker of Karnataka Assembly ahead of floor test tomorrow. Though Congress MLA RV Deshpande is the senior most leader, Governor appointed Bhopaiah as pro tem speaker on Friday.

KG Bopaiah won the Virajapete assembly constituency in Kodagu district. He defeated Arun Machaiah CS of Congress.

Bhopaiah was the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 2009 to 2013. He is a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Earlier, RV Deshpande told a private channel, "I have not received any intimation from the Governor. Generally, the senior most member is appointed as Pro tem speaker."

"I expect everyone will abide by the Supreme Court order. House proceedings should be followed with decency. A Pro tem speaker should be impartial," he said. "The role that the Governor played was very unfortunate," Deshpande added.

Another BJP leader Umesh Katti's name was also doing rounds for the post of Protem Speaker. However, RV Deshpande is senior to BJP leader Umesh Katti.

According to rule, the longest-serving member of the House will be nominated as pro-tem (short-term) speaker, whose role is limited to administering the oath to all the newly elected MLAs and conducting the election of the full-time speaker.

It may be recalled that 11 disgruntled MLAs of the ruling BJP along with some independent MLAs revolted against the leadership of BS Yeddyurappa and submitted a letter to the Governor withdrawing their support to the BJP Government. In a controversial move, Speaker Bopaiah disqualified the rebel MLAs and thus played a major role in the survival of the BJP Government in Karnataka in October 2011.