THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader and Aroor MLA Shanimol Usman has been elected as the Deputy Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly, making history as only the fourth woman to hold this prestigious constitutional post (Election). The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate comfortably defeated the Left Democratic Front (LDF) nominee, Muhammad Muhsin, who is the Communist Party of India (CPI) legislator from Pattambi. In the voting held at the Assembly House on Tuesday morning, Shanimol Usman secured an overwhelming 99 votes, while her opponent Muhammad Muhsin managed to get 34 votes.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has three members in the house, chose to stay out of the contest and abstained from voting. The high-profile polling also saw notable absences; ruling bench members Abid Hussain Thangal and Sandeep Varier did not attend the session, while opposition MLA C.K. Hareendran was also absent. Following the election results announced by Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the first session of the newly constituted assembly resumed its normal legislative procedures. Netizens have flooded social media with congratulatory messages, making #ShanimolUsman, #KeralaAssembly, and #DeputySpeaker trend rapidly across top social media platforms.
Representing the Aroor constituency, Shanimol Usman is a seasoned politician with an impressive track record in public life (MLA). She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the Kerala Law Academy in Thiruvananthapuram and rose through the political ranks via student activism in the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Mahila Congress. Breaking barriers early in her career, she also holds the milestone of being the first female leader from Kerala to be appointed as a secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
This momentous win carries immense historical weight, as it brings a female leader into the Deputy Speaker’s chair after a lengthy gap of 35 years.
Story Summary: Congress MLA Shanimol Usman has been elected as the new Deputy Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly, securing 99 votes against LDF’s Muhammad Muhsin. Her historic victory brings a female legislator to this constitutional position after a long gap of 35 years in the state.
