RSP to stake claim for Dy speaker, Aruvikara seat

Thiruvananthapuram: Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), a minor partner in ruling UDF in the state with three MLAs, Tuesday decided to stake its claim for the vacant Deputy Speaker post and also Aruvikara assembly segment.

A decision in this regard was taken at a party meeting which authorised state Labour Minister Shibu Baby John, Party state secretary A A Azeez and N K Preamchandran, MP, to hold talks with UDF leaders on the matter.

"Our party will demand Deputy Speaker post and Aruvikara Assembly seat in the UDF meet," Azeez told reporters here after the meeting.

RSP would hold bilateral discussion with Congress, the lead partner, for getting the Deputy Speaker post and Aruvikara seat, Shibu Baby John said.

Aruvikara seat has fallen vacant after the death of sitting member and Speaker G Karthikeyan recently. The Deputy Speaker post too is vacant following elevation of N Sakthan as the Speaker.

RSP, a long time partner in the CPI-M led LDF, snapped its ties protesting the overbearing approach of CPI-M and CPI in seat allocation during the last Lok Sabha polls in 2014.

Later, RSP joined Congress-led UDF after merging with RSP(B), led by state Labour Minister Shibu Baby John, a partner in the ruling alliance and became a single party in 2014.