Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is new Kerala Speaker

T’puram: Congress’s Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was on Friday elected as the 25th speaker of the Kerala legislative assembly, securing 101 votes in the election held in the House.

LDF candidate and Kunnamkulam MLA A C Moideen received 35 votes, while BJP candidate B Gopakumar secured three votes. Pro tem speaker and Ambalappuzha MLA G Sudhakaran, who presided over the proceedings, did not cast his vote.

Interestingly, this was the first time in the history of the state assembly that three candidates contested for the speaker’s post. After the election, chief minister V D Satheesan and leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan jointly escorted Radhakrishnan to the speaker’s chair in keeping with parliamentary convention.

The election proceedings were conducted under the supervision of Sudhakaran, who was appointed as the pro tem speaker being the seniormost member of the assembly.

Reacting to his election, Radhakrishnan said he was proud to have been chosen for the post and described it as one of the most important responsibilities in parliamentary democracy. “I am extremely happy. The party has entrusted me with one of the most crucial responsibilities in parliamentary democracy. I have 100% satisfaction in taking up this responsibility,” he said.

He also called upon both treasury and opposition benches to utilise the assembly effectively in the larger interest of the people. The assembly will not meet from Saturday till next Thursday. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will deliver the policy address on May 29. The election to the post of deputy speaker is scheduled to be held on June 1.