The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in the State, which enjoys the slenderest margin of two in a House of 140, pulled itself together to elect its own candidate as Speaker in a keenly fought contest on Thursday.

Mr G. Karthikeyan, a six-time member and former minister, was elected Speaker after he defeated Mr A. K. Balan of the Opposition Left Democratic Front by polling 73 votes against 68 in a secret ballot.

OPPOSITION IRE

All 72 elected members of the UDF and the pro-tem Speaker, Mr N. Sakthan, took part in the vote, a move that was later criticised by the Opposition.

But the ruling coalition held its ground arguing that the Assembly has had an established precedent of a pro-tem Speaker exercising his franchise to elect a Speaker.

The exchange was wrapped up by the new Speaker, who, in his first ruling from the Chair, said the legislative business draws as heavily from established conventions as time-honoured precedents. In the event, the Speaker's election on Thursday represented a successful denouement to the first test on the floor for the two-week-old Government, even as the 13 th State Assembly came into its own after new members were formally sworn in on Wednesday.

EXPERIENCED LEGISLATOR

Mr Karthikeyan, the new Speaker, has completed more than 25 years as member of the legislature after he took oath for the first time in 1981.

He represents the Aruvikkara constituency in the 13th State Assembly. A two-time Minister in his earlier tenures in Government, Mr Karthikeyan has handled the portfolios of Food, Electricity and Cultural Affairs.

He has been a Chief Whip and Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the outgoing Assembly.

Earlier, a high-level meeting of the UDF had nominated Mr Karthikeyan as candidate for Speaker.

Published on June 2, 2011