Kerala Assembly Speaker election: Three-front contest signals new political era
Synopsis
All three major political fronts in Kerala are contesting Friday's Speaker election — a procedural formality turned political statement. The BJP is fielding a candidate for the first time in the Assembly's history, while the UDF's 102-seat majority makes the outcome a foregone conclusion. The real story is what the contest signals about the new power dynamics in Thiruvananthapuram.
Key Takeaways
Kerala Assembly Speaker election is scheduled for Friday, 23 May 2025 , with all three fronts fielding candidates.
UDF nominee Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is expected to win, backed by a 102-seat majority in the 140-member House .
LDF has fielded former minister A.C.
Moideen ; BJP has nominated first-time MLA B.B.
Gopakumar from Chathannoor .
This is the first time in Kerala Assembly history that the BJP has contested a Speaker election.
UDF has fielded Shanimol Usman for the Deputy Speaker post, also to be decided on Friday.
The Assembly reconvenes on 29 May for the Governor's address; a fiscal White Paper is being prepared by the new government.
The newly-constituted Kerala Legislative Assembly is set for its first major political contest on Friday, 23 May 2025, as all three principal fronts have decided to field candidates for the Speaker election — even as the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) commands a commanding numerical advantage in the 140-member House.
The Candidates and the Numbers
Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is widely expected to prevail as the UDF nominee, given the Treasury Bench's strength of 102 seats. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) holds 35 seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) three. Despite the arithmetic, both opposition blocs have chosen to contest, fielding A.C. Moideen — a former minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader — for the LDF, and first-time MLA B.B. Gopakumar from Chathannoor for the BJP.
A Historic First for the BJP in Kerala
The BJP's decision to nominate a candidate marks the first time in the history of the Kerala Assembly that the party has contested a Speaker election. The proposal for Gopakumar's candidature will be moved by BJP legislators Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V. Muraleedharan. The move is widely read as a political statement — an assertion of the party's growing, if still modest, footprint in a state long dominated by the LDF and UDF.
The Deputy Speaker election will also be held on the same day, with the UDF fielding Shanimol Usman for the post.
Swearing-In: Ceremony, Symbolism, and Emotion
The swearing-in of newly-elected MLAs, conducted under Pro-tem Speaker G. Sudhakaran, blended procedural formality with notable political theatre. Members were administered the oath in alphabetical order. Fisheries and Social Justice Minister V.E. Abdul Gafoor, representing Kalamassery, was the first MLA to be sworn in. Attingal MLA O.S. Ambika became the first woman member to take oath, while Manjeshwaram MLA A.K.M. Ashraf took his oath in Kannada.
Among the more striking moments were those involving former CPI(M) leaders V. Kunjikrishnan and T.K. Govindan, both of whom won their seats with UDF backing after parting ways with the Left. Kunjikrishnan saluted Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan while taking his oath; Govindan walked across to the Opposition benches to shake hands with the former Chief Minister, drawing applause from the treasury side. Vijayan responded with a smile and rose to greet him warmly — a moment that drew wide attention in the chamber.
What Comes Next: Budget, Governor's Address, and a Fiscal White Paper
The Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on 29 May for Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar's policy address, with discussions on the address slated for 1 to 3 June. The new UDF government is expected to present its full budget in June. Notably, the administration is also preparing a White Paper on Kerala's financial condition, signalling that the state's fiscal health will dominate the opening phase of the new government's legislative agenda.
Point of View
But the BJP's decision to field a candidate — a first in the Assembly's history — is a calculated signal of institutional ambition, not a realistic bid for the chair. The LDF, reduced to 35 seats after a bruising defeat, is contesting to maintain relevance and visibility in a House where it no longer sets the agenda. The more telling subplot is the emotional choreography around Kunjikrishnan and Govindan: former Left veterans now seated on the treasury side, their gestures toward Vijayan carrying the weight of fractured loyalties. The new government's fiscal White Paper, meanwhile, will quickly test whether the UDF's electoral mandate translates into a credible plan for a state carrying significant financial stress.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the candidates in the Kerala Assembly Speaker election 2025?
Three candidates are contesting: Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan for the UDF, A.C. Moideen for the LDF, and B.B. Gopakumar for the BJP. The election is scheduled for Friday, 23 May 2025, in the newly-constituted Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Why is the BJP contesting the Kerala Speaker election significant?
This is the first time in the history of the Kerala Legislative Assembly that the BJP has fielded a candidate for the Speaker's post. With only three seats, the BJP has no realistic chance of winning, but the move signals the party's intent to assert a formal political presence in the House.
What is the seat strength in the new Kerala Assembly?
The 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly has the UDF Treasury Bench at 102 seats, the LDF at 35, and the BJP at 3. The UDF's majority makes its Speaker nominee, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the strong favourite.
What is the Kerala government's White Paper about?
The new UDF government is preparing a White Paper on Kerala's financial condition, indicating that the state's fiscal situation will be a central focus of the new administration's early legislative agenda. It is expected to be tabled alongside or around the full budget in June.
When will the Kerala Assembly's next major sessions be held?
The Assembly reconvenes on 29 May 2025 for Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar's policy address. Discussions on the address are scheduled from 1 to 3 June, and the full budget is expected to be presented in June.
