Kerala Assembly session to begin from Monday

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The ninth session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly will commence on Monday with tributes being paid to Congress stalwart and MLA Oommen Chandy, who died last month.

The session will commence with an obituary reference on the demise of Chandy and veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman.

During its 10-day long sitting, the House would consider various bills, including the one to substitute the ordinance issued by the government for the safety and security of those working in the healthcare sector.

The House is also likely to witness heated discussions, debates and even protests on a variety of issues concerning the Left administration, including the financial crisis the state is in.

The controversial remarks by Speaker A N Shamseer, the police action over a brief malfunctioning of a microphone when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was speaking at an event and the government's stand towards the media are also expected to be points of contention in the House.

The Congress-led opposition UDF is also expected to raise the issue of women's safety in the state and the reported increase in the crimes being committed against them, especially in the wake of the rape-cum-murder of a five-year-old girl on July 28 allegedly by a migrant worker in Aluva of Ernakulam district.

The ruling Left front is also likely to face flak from the opposition over the absence of government officials or ministers at the funeral of the five-year-old girl or when the body was kept in the victim's school for the public to pay their last respects.

The government has, meanwhile, sanctioned a total financial assistance of Rs 11 lakh to the girl's family and a couple of its ministers also visited the family subsequently.

On the financial crisis facing the state, the ruling CPI(M) is likely to blame the central government and its economic policies, while the opposition is expected to argue that the administration is indulging in extravagant expenditures that are avoidable.

The Left front and the UDF are also expected to lock horns over the action taken against KPCC chief K Sudhakaran in connection with a cheating case in which controversial self-styled antiques dealer Monson Mavunkal is the prime accused.

Sudhakaran was arrested and released on bail in that case.

Besides that, he is also facing a vigilance probe on a complaint of graft and misappropriation of funds filed by his former driver two years ago.

As part of its investigation, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has sought the details of the income sources of his wife and this issue is likely to be raised in the House by the opposition, which has accused the Left front of targeting its political rivals.

The session will conclude on August 23.