Communist Party of India (CPI-M) legislator A N Shamseer on Monday was elected as new Kerala assembly speaker defeating Congress candidate Anwar Sadath.
Shameer got 96 votes and Sadath could garner only 40 votes in 140-member house.
The election was necessitated after the incumbent M B Rajesh became a minister in Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet. A minor reshuffle was carried out last month after local self government minister M V Govindan was elected as the party secretary in place of ailing Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Shamseer, 45, rose in the ranks through student politics and held many positions in the Students Federation of India and Democratic Youth Federation of India before becoming a legislator. The two-time legislator was tipped to be a minister in the second Vijayan government but lost after the CM’s son-in-law Mohammad Riyaz became a minister with two powerful portfolios, tourism and public works department.
The slot vacated by culture minister Saji Cherian will remain vacant for now. He resigned in July after his speech allegedly denigrating the Constitution whipped up a controversy. Party insiders said he will be re-inducted once the dust settles down.