Sreeramakrishnan new Ker Speaker; BJP vote for LDF candidate

CPI(M)'s P Sreeramakrishnan was today elected as the Speaker of the 14th Kerala Assembly.
Sreeramakrishnan (LDF), who represents Ponnani constituency, secured 92 votes against UDF's candidate V P Sajeendran, who got 46 votes in the 140-member House.
A member of CPI(M)-state committee, 48-year-old Sreeramakrishnan, known for his pleasant personality and soft-spoken nature, has already proved his talent during his tenure as MLA in the last assembly.
After the election, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala jointly led him to the Speaker's dais.
The House also witnessed certain politically significant events with BJP's lone member O Rajagopal opting to vote in favour of Sreeramakrishnan.

Justifying his decision to favour the LDF candidate, the BJP leader said one of the reasons was that UDF had openly stated that they did not want the BJP MLA's vote.

Rajagopal also said BJP would not blindly oppose all government policies but would take decisions on 'merit basis' in the House.
"BJP is committed to exposing the mistakes of both ruling LDF and opposition UDF in the House," he told reporters during a press meet in the Assembly media room later.
On why he voted for CPI(M)'s candidate which the saffron party opposed at the state and national level, he said, "It's my personal vote for Sreeramakrishnan who is a good public worker and also a friend of mine."

To a question, he said the party had not discussed the matter.
The UDF faced embarrassment as its candidate secured only 46 votes though they have 47 members in the House.
Stressing that UDF would examine the issue as it was a serious one, Chennithala told reporters that he did not think that it was deliberate cross-voting from the front's side.
Taking a dig at BJP and LDF, he said Rajagopal's vote in favour of LDF candidate exposed the "secret tie-up" between the CPI(M) and the saffron party, which Congress was stressing on throughout the election campaign.
(REOPENS MDS2)
The vote cast by lone Independent MLA P C George, former rebel leader of Kerala Congress (M), a partner of opposition UDF, became invalid as he did not follow the prescribed procedure.

Later, George, who won from his home turf Poonjar, said he did not want to vote for any of the front candidates.
In his maiden address as the Speaker, Sreeramakrishnan sought the cooperation of every member for the smooth conduct of business of the House and said rights of all members, including that of opposition, would be protected.
Sreeramakrishnan won by a margin of 15,640 votes from Ponnai defeating his nearest rival P T Ajai Mohan of UDF.