Kerala, TN get new Speakers

P Sreeramakrishnan of the CPM was on Friday elected speaker of the 14th Kerala Legislative Assembly. 

While the result was on expected lines, considering that 91 of the state’s 140 MLAs are from the CPM-led Left Democratic Front, the election did come with an element of surprise. Sreeramakrishnan secured 92 votes while V P Sajeendran, candidate of the Congress-led Opposition—the United Democratic Front (UDF) had only 46 votes, one less than the front’s number of MLAs in the House. Pro tem Speaker S Sarma, of the CPM, did not cast his vote. The “lost vote” from the UDF triggered speculations and discussions in social media  even as Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said it could be “an error” and not a vote favouring the candidate of the rival front.

O Rajagopal, the only BJP MLA in the state, said that he voted for Sreeramakrishnan. Ramesh Chennithala had on Thursday said the UDF “did not need” the votes of P C George, who defied both the fronts to script a big victory in Poonjar.

Dhanapal is TN speakerSenior ruling AIADMK members — P Dhanapal and Pollachi V Jayaraman — were unanimously re-elected as speaker and deputy speaker, respectively, of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Friday. Soon after the House proceedings began, Protem Speaker S Semmalai said since Dhanapal's was the only nomination filed for the post, he was unanimously elected as the speaker of the 15th Assembly.