Kerala Assembly session to commence on Friday

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 6 (PTI): Sparks are expectedto fly in the final session of the present Kerala Assemblycommencing on Friday with the opposition Congress-led UDF setto attack the CPI(M)-led Left Front government on variousissues including corruption allegations.

Adhering to strict COVID-19 protocols, the Assemblysession will commence with the customary address by KeralaGovernor Arif Mohammed Khan.

The Assembly had recently met for a one-day specialsession on December 31 and passed a unanimous resolutionseeking scrapping of the three contentious farm laws passed bythe centre.

Thoughthe Governor had at first turned down the Leftgovernment's plea to convene the House on December 23 fordiscussing the agri laws, against which farmers have beenagitating on Delhi borders for over a month, the session washeld on December 31 after the clarifications sought by himwere furnished.

The last budget of the CPI(M)-led LDF government,which would be vote on account, will be presented by FinanceMinister Thomas Isaac on January 15.

The session will conclude on January 28.

The LDF government, which is hoping to break the jinxand ride back to power for a second term, is expected to lineup new proposals and projects for the state's development,launch people-friendly schemes, besides announcing sops forvarious sections with an eye on the assembly elections due byApril-May this year.

The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF) will ensure that the final session will not be acakewalk for the LDF and will hit out at the government onvarious issues, including the gold smuggling case in which MSivasankar, former Principal Secretary of Chief Minister,Pinarayi Vijayan, now under suspension, is among the accused.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala told P T I thatthe UDF will ''expose'' the government in this last session.

''This is the most corrupt government'', he alleged.

Besides the gold smuggling case, irregularities in theLife Mission project at Wadakancherry are among the variouscorruption allegations which are likely to be raised by theopposition, which has already served a notice seeking removalof the Speaker, P Sreeramakrishnan after his name cropped upin the smuggling case.

Assembly sources said all arrangements have been madefor the legislators to undergo antigen testing from 7 AM atthe Assembly premises on January 8, 11 and 18.

The members, who will be provided N-95 masks andgloves, will undergo thermal scanning before entering theHouse.PTI UD SS PTI PTI