Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is now the custodian of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly. A veteran leader of the Congress party, he is also highly regarded as an exceptional organiser. A member of the Legislative Assembly since 1991, Thiruvanchoor’s track record first as an MLA and subsequently as a minister has been highly notable. He has previously held various portfolios in the Oommen Chandy cabinets of 2004 and 2011.

A historic three-cornered contest

Thiruvanchoor was elected as the Speaker after securing 101 votes. Meanwhile, 35 members supported the LDF's A C Moideen and three members backed the NDA's B B Gopakumar. Out of the House, 139 members cast their votes. Serving as the Pro-tem Speaker, G Sudhakaran did not vote.

CPM’s A C Moideen contested on behalf of the LDF, while the BJP’s B B Gopakumar contested for the NDA. This election created a distinct milestone in the history of the state legislative assembly, marking the first time that candidates from three different political fronts faced off for the Speaker's post.

Deep roots in student and party politics

Hailing from Thiruvanchoor in Kottayam, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan entered public service through student politics. He was a highly active figure in the Balajana Sakhyam, the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU), and the Youth Congress. In 1967, he was elected as the state general secretary of the KSU, and went on to become its president in the very same year.
 

By 1978, he rose to the position of state president of the Youth Congress. Later, from 1984 to 2001, he served continuously as the general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

Decades of administrative experience

Thiruvanchoor first entered the State Cabinet as a minister in 2004. During this tenure, he managed the portfolios of Health, Forests, Parliamentary Affairs and Irrigation and Water Resources. In the 2011 Oommen Chandy administration, he handled vital portfolios including Home Affairs, Revenue, Forests, and Cinema during different terms.

He originally entered the Assembly in 1991 from the Adoor constituency and remained Adoor's representative until 2006. When Adoor was subsequently turned into a reserved constituency, he shifted his base to Kottayam. From 2011 up until the recently concluded elections, he has maintained a stellar winning streak there.

Firm stance as Home Minister

As Home Minister, Thiruvanchoor was known for taking decisive and uncompromising stances on several high-profile cases that triggered political storms in Kerala. The TP Chandrasekharan murder case stands as a prime example. It was Thiruvanchoor's strict directive to intensify police vehicle checking that forced the gang behind TP's murder to abandon the getaway vehicle they had arranged to cross the state border. This vehicle, left behind at a brick kiln in Chokli, Kannur, subsequently became a crucial turning point in the investigation.

Transition from Cabinet shortlist to Assembly Chair

The UDF stormed to power in this election with a thumping majority, securing 102 seats. The LDF sits in the opposition with 35 members, while the NDA has three representatives. During the initial rounds of discussions regarding the selection of ministers for the UDF government, Thiruvanchoor’s name was prominently considered. Indications suggest that he had also expressed an interest in a Cabinet berth. However, the party leadership ultimately decided that an experienced veteran was required to steer and manage the proceedings of the House, leading to his appointment as the Speaker.

Four nomination papers were submitted to propose Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan for the post.
These were proposed by
1. V D Satheesan and seconded by Sunny Joseph.

2. P K Kunhalikutty and seconded by P K Basheer.

3. Mons Joseph and seconded by Anoop Jacob.

4. Shibu Baby John and seconded by C P John.