Karnataka BJP to boycott Assembly Speaker poll, fields Council chief candidate

The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Thursday that they would boycott the election to choose the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly. This decision came after the Congress party declared the name of the Speaker in a letter to the House. Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka stated that the BJP was boycotting the election due to the Congress' unconstitutionally announcing the Speaker's name on its letterhead.

Ashoka also criticized the Congress party for usurping the sovereignty of the House and started a new tradition of announcing the Speaker's name on the party list. The BJP leader emphasized that the Speaker should be elected by the House, not by the party. This decision to boycott the election will take place alongside the election for the Legislative Council chairperson post, which is scheduled to happen on Friday.