He polled 96 votes defeating P. C. Vishnunath of the Congress who got 40 votes M. B. Rajesh, CPI(M) legislator from Trithala constituency in Palakkad and Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate, was declared elected as Speaker of the15th Kerala Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. Mr. Rajesh defeated United Democratic Front (UDF) and Congress legislator P. C. Vishnunath, elected from Kundara in Kollam, in the elections held in the House. Pro-Tem Speaker P. T. A. Rahim, who was in the Chair and conducted the proceedings, informed the House that Mr. Rajesh bagged 96 votes and Mr. Vishnunath got 40 votes. Of the 140 seats in the Legislative Assembly, the CPI(M)-led LDF has 99 legislators and the Congress-led UDF 41.