Bengaluru: The BJP has picked Vishweshwaraiah Hegade Kageri, a senior party MLA from Sirsi as the new state Assembly Speaker.

The party state unit, including Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, had initially planned to field Virajpet MLA K G Bopaiah for the prestigious post.

According to sources, Tuesday 12 noon is the deadline date for the submission of the nomination papers for the Speaker’s post.

The post has been vacant ever since Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar resigned on Monday.

The BJP high command’s decision comes as a big shock to K G Bopaiah, who was getting ready to submit his nomination papers.