CPI legislator Chittayam Gopakumar is to become Deputy Speaker of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.
A declaration to this effect will be made by Assembly Speaker M.B. Rajesh in the Assembly on Tuesday as the Congress-led United Democratic Front decided not to field any candidate for the post.
LDF had fielded Mr. Gopakumar for the post and had filed the nomination for the election to the post of Deputy Speaker on Monday. The election of the Deputy Speaker was scheduled for June 1 and the deadline for filing nominations ended on Monday.
Mr. Gopakumar, 55, was elected from Adoor Assembly constituency in the April 6 elections and had been a legislator since 2011 representing the Adoor constituency. He made his political entry through All Indian Students’ Federation (AISF), the students’ wing of CPI.
He later became the AISF State committee member. He served as the Kollam district secretary of the All Indian Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the labour wing of the CPI, and the Karshaka Thozhilali Union. He had worked as the chairman of Kerala Agriculture Workers’ Welfare Fund Board and president of the Kottarakkara grama panchayat.
