THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in his felicitation speech that AN Shamseer, who has been elected as the new Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, has knowledge and maturity far beyond his age and that will be an asset for him in the running the Assembly. The CM also said that when a youth comes to the position of Speaker, a special influence will spread in all the working areas of the assembly.

The CM said that Shamseer, who comes from a family which was affected by the Thalassery riots in the past, understands the values of secularism. "There are 31 members in the current Assembly from the age group of 27 and 48. Shamseer, who was at the forefront of student protests, was brutally beaten up. He had to spend more than three months in jail in a fake case. He also faced physical attacks by communal forces. He has a master's degree in anthropology and law. He has shown us that academics and politics can be pursued together. May he be able to conduct Assembly affairs impartially and diligently," the CM said.

Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said that the speaker should protect the rights of the opposition as well as carry out the demands of the government. "The Speaker has a responsibility of upholding the legacy of the House. Conflicts between the opposition and the Speaker are not personal. We expect the Speaker to uphold and protect the rights of the opposition," Satheesan said.