Congress appoints Khader as Deputy Leader of Opp in Assembly

Bengaluru: MLA of Mangaluru UT Khader has been appointed as the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly according to a letter from Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday.

The four-time MLA has served as a minister twice. Elder son of former MLA late UT Fareed, Khader is known for his true secular stance and clean politics. He first got elected in 2007 after his father's death when he was a sitting MLA. Later, Khader has won in all four elections from the Mangaluru Assembly constituency since then. He won despite the great Modi wave in 2018.

Known for his astuteness in politics, Khader is the only Congress MLA from the entire coastal area of Karnataka in the present Assembly. He has got accolades due to his non-partisan approach when he served as in-charge minister of Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Kolar and Dakshina Kannada. 52-year-old graduate, Khader was entrusted with the responsibility of electioneering during the State Assembly elections of Kerala. Speaking to Hans News Service after the appointment, Khader said: "I consider it as an important responsibility bestowed on me by party leaders. I never faltered when it came to party work and government work, I have no enemies in politics, but when it comes to party discipline I follow it diligently. I have worked under KPCC president DK Shivakumar and S Siddaramiah and I consider it a privilege to work more closely with both of them."

The Congress which is passing through a crisis following MLC Ibrahim deciding to quit the party for being denied the post of leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council has hit a masterstroke by appointing Khader as the deputy leader in the lower house. This would pacify the Muslim religious leaders who had expressed dismay over denying the post to CM Ibrahim.