Mankal Vaidya elected unopposed as Karnataka Assembly Deputy Speaker

Mankal Vaidya, a twice-elected Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Congress party, was recently elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The former independent MLA was nominated by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and endorsed by Cooperation Minister Laxman Savadi. Speaker G.S. Patil confirmed Vaidya's unanimous election, marking his appointment as the House's presiding officer for the upcoming sessions.

Vaidya, who has held various positions within the Karnataka government, served as Minister for Ports and Fisheries under the Siddaramaiah-led administration for three years. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2013 and later joined the Congress party. His political career has also included stints as a member of the zilla panchayat and as vice-president of the Uttara Kannada Zilla Panchayat.

The principal Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initially boycotted the election, claiming that Vaidya's candidature had been recommended by the Congress high command. However, the party later facilitated his unanimous election, despite his exclusion from the Cabinet during the second phase of Cabinet expansions. The BJP's facilitation of Vaidya's appointment comes after he was overlooked for a Cabinet berth, with another MLA, S.S. Mallikarjun, being inducted instead.

Vaidya's election as Deputy Speaker is particularly significant given his background in the fishing community. Chief Minister Shivakumar encouraged Vaidya not to feel that the Deputy Speaker's position is a lesser role. Leader of Opposition R. Ashok urged Speaker G.S. Patil to provide Vaidya with ample opportunities to chair Assembly proceedings, highlighting the precedent set by former Speaker U.T. Khader, who often presided over sessions throughout the day.

Former Minister R.V. Deshpande and BJP MLA Dinkar K. Shetty, both from Uttara Kannada district, praised Vaidya's achievements and experiences during the election proceedings. BJP MP Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, who served as Speaker during the previous BJP government, also spoke about Vaidya during the discussion.