Newly elected Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (centre) with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan in the Kerala State Assembly in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (May 22, 2026).
| Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran
Senior Congress leader and former Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was elected as Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly on Friday (May 22, 2026).In the elections held to the Speaker’s post, Mr. Radhakrishnan won 101 votes, while A.C. Moideen of the Opposition Left Democratic front (LDF) and B.B. Gopakumar of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA won 35 and 3 votes respectively.The Congress-led UDF holds 102 of the 140 seats in the House.Pro Tem Speaker G. Sudhakaran, who had won as UDF-backed Independent in Ambalappuzha, chose not to vote on the grounds that he had supervised the election as Returning Officer.The members cast their votes on ballot papers which were then placed in a box next to the Speaker’s chair. The votes were counted in the presence of the representatives of the three fronts.Mr. Sudhakaran declared Mr. Radhakrishnan as the winner, describing him as a veteran politician who was “simple and accessible to all.”Later, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan led Mr. Radhakrishnan to the Speaker’s chair.An eight-time MLA and former Minister, Mr. Radhakrishnan succeeds A.N. Shamseer of the CPI(M) as Speaker. At 77, Mr. Radhakrishnan is one of the senior members in the current Assembly.He started his political life through the Kerala Students Union and the Youth Congress. He was elected to the Kerala Assembly in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 from Adoor. He has represented Kottayam in 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026. In the 2004-06 UDF Ministry, he handled the Water Resources, Health and Forest portfolios on various occasions. In the 2011-16 UDF Ministry, he handled Home, Revenue, Forests during different periods.Mr. Satheesan described Mr. Radhakrishnan, whose experience as legislator spans three-and-a-half decades, as “a model for the younger members.” As Minister during different UDF terms, he has handled around 17 different portfolios, Mr. Satheesan recalled.Greeting Mr. Radhakrishnan, Mr. Vijayan expressed the hope that his vast experience as legislator would hold him good stead as Speaker. “The Speaker represents the collective voice of the House when he protects the interests of the Opposition also,” said Mr. Vijayan. He also extended the full support of the Opposition to the new Speaker.Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP requested Mr. Radhakrishnan to ensure that opportunities are given to all members to present the people’s problems in the Assembly. Efforts should also be taken to encourage new members, he said.Mr. Radhakrishnan said he would make “sincere efforts to maintain impartiality and ensure justice and opportunity” to the ruling front as well as the Opposition parties.Pinarayi is Opposition LeaderMr. Radhakrishnan also formally announced Mr. Vijayan as the Opposition Leader of the House. As leader of the CPI(M), Mr. Vijayan heads the largest of the Opposition parties in the House.The Assembly will convene again on May 29 for the policy address by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. Published - May 22, 2026 10:58 am IST
