Thiruvananthapuram: The ruling LDF candidate and two-time legislator P. Sreeramakrishnan has been elected speaker of the Kerala Assembly.
He got 92 votes in the 140-member constituency, while UDFleader and Kunnathunadu MLA V.P. Sajeendran collected 46 votes. In the Kerala assembly, LDF has 91 MLAs, UDF 47, BJP 1 and independent candidate.
It was found that the 91-member strong LDF acquired 92 votes in the election. With the protem speaker S Sharma of the LDF staying away from the election, the media was abuzz with question as to who were the two in the Assembly who voted for the Left?
Rajagopal votes for Sreeramakrishnan
And after the election, BLP's sole MLA O Rajagopal admitted that he had voted for the young politician P Sreeramakrishnan of the LDF.
“Yesterday, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had said his front doesn't need Rajagopal's support. So I din't want to disappoint him and voted for the LDF candidate, who has a good name Sreeramakrishnan,” the veteran saffron leader told reporters on Friday.
It is still not known who the other MLA, who voted for the Left candidate is. As the opposition UDF only gained 46 votes despite having 47 members, it has been speculated that it was one from their midst who voted for the LDF. Independent MLA PC George's vote had been reportedly marked invalid.
PC George submits blank paper
It has been said that independent candidate PC George's vote has been marked invalid as he submitted a blank paper in the ballot without naming either candidate. The former government chief whip had earlier made it clear that he will not support either fronts and remain independent.