BJP to contest for Speaker's post; HDK trust vote today

Bengaluru: The opposition BJP on Thursday fielded senior leader S Suresh Kumar as its candidate in the election for the position of Karnataka Assembly Speaker to be held on Friday, apparently to force a trial of strength before the H D Kumaraswamy government seeks a vote of confidence.

Suresh Kumar, a fifth term MLA from the city, filed his nomination papers before Assembly Secretary S Murthy at Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the state legislature.

Suresh Kumar told reporters that he had filed his nomination on the directions from BJP's state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa and other leaders.

"Based on the strength of numbers and various other factors, our party leaders have confidence that I will win. With that confidence I have filed my nomination," he said.

The Congress-JD(S) coalition, which claims to enjoy the support of 117 MLAs, has plumped for Congress's Ramesh Kumar, a former Speaker, as its candidate for the post.

Ramesh Kumar also filed his nomination papers.

The Congress and JD(S) had unanimously chosen Ramesh Kumar as their candidate for the Speaker's post, Siddaramaiah told reporters after the nomination was filed.

He said, "I got to know that the BJP has also filed nomination... I hope they will withdraw. If the election happens, Ramesh Kumar's victory is certain."

After the election of the Speaker, the crucial floor test will take place, when Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy seeks a vote of confidence.

Kumaraswamy and his deputy - Congress' G Parameshwara were sworn-in Wednesday at a ceremony that turned into a grand spectacle of unity by leaders of regional parties of various hues, signalling emergence of an anti-BJP bloc for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, the lurking fear of a repeat of "Operation Kamala" by the BJP has prolonged 'resort politics' in Karnataka, with the Congress and JD(S) MLAs remaining confined to hotels, a day ahead of the trust vote.

Ever since the electorate delivered a fractured verdict in the Assembly polls on May 15, it has been a sequestered existence for them. See P5