Chamarajanagara MLA and former Minister C. Puttarangashetty has agreed to take up the post of Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Puttarangashetty, who was among an aspirant for a ministerial berth, had earlier turned down the offer of the Deputy Speaker’s post while expressing disappointment over his exclusion from the Ministry.
However, Mr. Puttarangashetty told reporters in Chamarajanagar on Thursday that he had agreed to become the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly as the party leadership had assured him of a ministerial berth after one year.
“I have been asked to discharge the duties of the Deputy Speaker for a year after which I have been assured of a ministerial berth. So, I have accepted,” he told reporters.
Mr. Puttarangashetty said he met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard recently. Though he would have liked the post of chairperson of a State-run board or corporation, Mr. Puttarangashetty said Mr. Siddaramaiah asked him to work as Deputy Speaker now and promised to consider him for a ministerial berth later.
He said he had turned down the offer earlier as the post would require him to stay in Bengaluru for three to four days a week, thereby affecting his contact with the people of his constituency.
