Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, May 22: Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was on Friday elected as the Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly.

Radhakrishnan secured 101 votes in the election held in the Assembly. Pro Tem Speaker G Sudhakaran did not cast his vote and subsequently ceased to hold the post after completion of the election process.

Apart from Radhakrishnan, CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate A.C. Moideen and BJP nominee B.B. Gopakumar were also in the contest for the Speaker’s post.

Moideen secured 35 votes while Gopakumar received 3 votes, corresponding to the strength of their respective parties in the 140-member Assembly.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which enjoys a comfortable majority of 102 members in the Assembly, had announced Radhakrishnan as its candidate a few days ago. The LDF and BJP officially declared their nominees on Thursday.

Radhakrishnan is regarded as a senior leader within the Congress party and has held several key positions in Kerala politics over the years.