Senior Congress leader and Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was elected the 25th Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Friday, May 22. After his election, the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition together led the veteran leader to the podium to assume his new role in the Speaker’s chair.
Radhakrishnan secured 101 votes in his favour during voting for the Speaker election. The United Democratic Front has a total strength of 102 MLAs, including Thiruvanchoor.
The election featured a multi-cornered contest, where LDF candidate AC Moideen received 35 votes, while BJP candidate BB Gopakumar secured three votes. This was the first time in the history of the Kerala Legislative Assembly that the BJP fielded a candidate for the Speaker’s post.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who has been representing Kottayam since 2011, was elected from the constituency for the fourth consecutive time in the just concluded Assembly polls.
He had earlier represented Adoor Assembly in 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2006. A former minister who has held portfolios of Home, Revenue, Forest and Transport, he has served as the Opposition Chief Whip and General Secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.
The Assembly will not be in session from May 23 to 28.
Proceedings are set to resume on May 29 with the Governor’s policy address. The election for the post of Deputy Speaker has been scheduled to take place on June 1.