Shamseer elected 24th speaker of Kerala assembly

TRIVANDRUM: Kerala legislative assembly on Monday elected AN Shamseer as its speaker replacing MB Rajesh who resigned to assume office as a cabinet minister last week.

Shamseer, 45, a graduate in law who also holds a master’s degree in anthropology, is a second-time legislator representing the Thalassery constituency.

Like almost all top leaders of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), including the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he also hails from the northern Kannur district.

He defeated the Congress party’s candidate Anwar Sadat, the legislator from Aluva, receiving 96 votes as against his rival’s 40 to become the 24th speaker. He is also one of the youngest speakers ater the late Indian Union Muslim League leader CH Mohammed Koya who assumed office at the age of 34 in 1961.

Congress party leader VM Sudheeran was 37 years old when he was elected as the speaker in 1984.

K Radhakrishnan, presently the minister for backward castes, was 42 when he became the speaker in 2006.

“There are many people who assumed this chair at a relatively younger age,” Vijayan said ater leading him to the chair along with VD Satheesan, leader of the opposition.

“Your place is among them. You have the knowledge and maturity that overextends your age. I have no doubt that it would be an asset for this young assembly.”

The chief minister said the new speaker comes from a family which was affected by the communal riots and he understands the values of secularism.

There are 31 members in the current assembly who are aged between 27 and 48, which “means that this House is generally young.”

“He entered politics through student activism and he was the first student union chairman of Kannur University. We expect that energy will reflect in all aspects.”

Shamseer was also all praise for MB Rajesh, 51, who replaced MV Govidnan ater he became the secretary of the CPI (M) succeeding ailing Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

As the assembly began the brief siting for his election, Radhakrishnan was seen siting near Vijayan in the seat vacated by Govindan who moved to the second row.

Rajesh also got a place in the first row. The seating arrangement shows the order of the ranking of the ministers.

Vijayan, however, never deputes any ministers to discharge his duties during his long trips abroad, including his extensive visits to the US for treatment and follow-ups.