Kiran Kumar Reddy is Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker

Senior Congress MLA N Kiran Kumar Reddy was unanimously elected as Speaker of the 13th Andhra Pradesh Assembly who said he will be non-partisan in discharging his duties.

Reddy was declared elected unopposed by the protem speaker JC Diwakar Reddy on the second day of the first session of the new assembly today.

Reddy's name for the speaker's post was proposed by chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, Agriculture minister N Raghuveera Reddy and two other independents.

Soon after his election, Reddy was accompanied to the speaker's chair by the chief minister, PRP chief, MLA Jayaprakash Narayan and Owaisi.

The main opposition TDP, which expressed reservations over Reddy's candidature, stayed away from accompanying him to the speaker's chair.

Reddy (48) was elected thrice to the Assembly from Vayalpad in Chittoor district and represents Piler Assembly segment. 

He was government Chief Whip in the previous assembly and served as member of the Public Undertakings Committee and Assurance Committee.

His father N Amarnath Reddy was a minister in the 1970s and considered close to late Indira Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao.

A sports enthusiast, Reddy was captain of the Osmania University cricket team and also played for Hyderabad Ranji Trophy team.