The CM, the Leader of the Opposition, trades on the mode of expression in the Keralam Assembly

Keralam Assembly Building

When an MP speaks in the state legislature, where exactly should he look? On Monday, a rally in Kerala saw Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan spar over the issue, much to the amusement of members and Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.

The brief episode unfolded when Mr Satheesan sat down after the speech and Mr Vijayan stood up amid heated exchanges between the ruling UDF and the opposition LDF over the former’s decision to pick Deepak Singhal, former chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh, as a member of a key task force on health.

When Mr. Vijayan stood up, he immediately addressed the opposition members. He said he was confused whether to look at them when they spoke or at the speaker, Mr. Radhakrishnan. “Normally, I don’t look like that when I speak. I was watching the Speaker,” he said, apparently taking a dig at Mr Satheesan’s habit of occasionally addressing UDF members when he spoke in the House.

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Mr. Satheesan immediately stood up to defend himself. He said that individuals have their own style of presentation. “I will not imitate your style for any reason. I have a different style. You should not make fun of it,” he said, adding that Mr. Vijayan resorted to making fun of him when he could not face the government’s stand on the matter at hand. He also took a dig at the opposition and said that he sometimes addressed members of his front as there were 102 of them, an apparent reference to the UDF’s massive electoral victory in the 2026 elections.

“Speak Through Loudspeaker”

Mr Vijayan replied that the parliamentary system dictated that members “speak through the speaker”. While Mr. Radhakrishnan agreed, the Chief Minister countered that while the rules of procedure of the assembly state that a member should “address” the speaker, it does not specify where he should look.

As this elicited more laughter from the members, Mr. Vijayan turned to Mr. Radhakrishnan with a smile and retorted, “Looks like the respected Chief Minister has corrected you.” Mr. Radhakrishnan replied that he did not wish to be embroiled in controversy over it.

Published – 26 Oct 2026 19:11 IST