Voting begins for Speaker election in 16th Kerala Assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Voting has begun to elect the Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly. Pro-tem Speaker G Sudhakaran is presiding over the session. Assembly proceedings have officially started, and all nomination papers have been accepted. Chief Minister V D Satheesan cast the first vote.

Both the LDF and, for the first time in Assembly history, the BJP have fielded candidates for the Speaker election. Former minister and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is the UDF candidate, while A C Moideen is contesting on behalf of the LDF. BJP candidate B B Gopakumar is also in the fray.

With a clear majority of 102 seats, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is almost certain to become the new Speaker. The BJP has three members in the Assembly this time. B B Gopakumar submitted his nomination papers to Assembly Secretary Shaji C Baby along with fellow BJP members Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan.

The date for the Deputy Speaker election has not yet been announced. The Assembly will not meet from May 23 to May 28. The Governor’s policy address is scheduled for May 29. Discussions on the motion of thanks to the policy address will take place from June 1 to June 3.