P Sreeramakrishnan of the CPI (M) that leads the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was elected Speaker of the Kerala Assembly here this morning. 

He polled two additional votes even as the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate V.P. Sajeendran secured one vote less in a pattern that indicated interesting alignments. 

Sreeramakrishnan polled 92 votes against 46 of Sajeendran in a House of 140 members with the LDF having a declared strength of 91 against 47 of the Opposition. 

Pro tem Speaker S Sarma did not vote while that of Independent PC George was invalidated due to technical reasons. That left only 138 valid votes which were polled through secret ballot. 

The voting pattern suggests the lone member of the BJP, O. Rajagopal, may have voted for the LDF. 

But it could not be ascertained what led to the loss of one vote for the Opposition. Observers are of the view that it might turn out to be case of indiscretion if not wilful violation of the whip. 

Even if Sreeramakrishnan's election was a foregone conclusion given the near two-thirds majority that the LDF commands in the new House, observers had attached significance to how the  BJP member, elected for the first time, would choose to exercise his franchise. 

PC George's vote was also being watched since he had declared that he would be neutral in his approach, preferring neither of the two main fronts in contention. 

In the end, he stuck to his stand by voting for neither and ensuring that his vote did not matter when it came to the counting of votes.  

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