Sakthan elected assembly Deputy Speaker

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: N Sakthan of the Congress was elected Deputy Speaker of the 13th Kerala Assembly on Tuesday. Sakthan won 73 votes while Opposition candidate E S Bijimol of the CPI secured 67 votes.
Speaker G Karthikeyan also cast his vote. Dharmadam MLA and CPM leader K K Narayanan did not cast his vote citing illhealth. Sakthan, a former minister, was elected from the Kattakada constituency in Thiruvananthapuram. He was the protem speaker in the present Assembly. He was selected as the Congress nominee for the Deputy Speaker post after other UDF constituents gave up their claims for the post during bilateral talks.Sakthan, who did not get a Cabinet berth had exerted pressure on the KPCC leadership and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for a suitable accommodation. He was nominated for the Deputy Speaker post after the Kerala Congress (Mani) was given the Chief Whip post.