Legislative Assembly Speaker and MLA for Mangaluru U.T. Khader is likely to resign on Wednesday, June 3, to join the new Cabinet, according to sources close to Mr. Khader.

Party workers and Mr. Khader’s supporters in Mangaluru have been meeting and congratulating him since Monday after hearing that he is likely to be among those to be sworn in as Minister on June 3.

Mr. Khader met former MLC and Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Districts Muslim Central Committee president K.S. Mohammed Masood at the latter’s residence in Mangaluru on Tuesday, before leaving for Bengaluru.

Earlier, while speaking to presspersons Mr. Khader said if the Congress wants him to continue as Speaker he will do so.

“If I am asked to be a Minister in the new Cabinet or continue as Speaker, I am happy to do so. I will act as per directions of the Congress high command,” he said.

Asked about controversy surrounding the audio tape purportedly related to Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, over sabotaging the prospects of the Congress candidate in the recently held Assembly bypolls in Davangere, clearing his (Mr. Khader’s) way into the new Cabinet as a representative from the minority community, Mr. Khader said there is no competition between him and Mr. Khan on becoming Ministers in the new Cabinet.

Mr. Khader said becoming a Minister helps in doing works related to people in a more effective way. As Speaker, he works more for the legislators. “As Speaker, I have worked for the people of my (Mangaluru Assembly) constituency and take up development projects. When in my constituency, people forget that I am in the post of Speaker, which comes with a set of protocols,” he said.