CPI's V Sasi elected Deputy Speaker of Kerala Assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI's V Sasi was today elected Deputy Speaker of the 14th Kerala Assembly.

While Sasi polled 90 votes, Opposition UDF candidate IC Balakrishnan garnered 45 votes in the voting held in the Assembly this morning.

Four members were absent, including BJP's lone member O Rajagopal, and one vote was declared invalid.

Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan did not exercise his franchise.

Sasi, the two-time MLA from Chirayankeezhu constituency in the Assembly, was earlier a member of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

The CPI(M) headed LDF has a strength of 92 in the 141 member Assembly, including the nominated Anglo Indian member, John Fernandez.

Congress led UDF has 47 members, BJP has one and PC George is an Independent MLA.

While LDF's Chitoor MLA K Krishnankutty was not present in the House at the time of voting, in the opposition benches Anoop Jacob of Kerala Congress (Jacob) and IUML's C Mamooty were absent.