Thiruvananthapuram, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : The Kerala government, led by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, has officially announced that it will not fund the sixth edition of the Lok Kerala Sabha in its current form. This decision reinforces the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government’s stance to discontinue the controversial platform established by the Left Democratic Front (LDF).
In a statement released by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), officials clarified that they have no intention of continuing the format used during the LDF’s administration. Furthermore, they confirmed that no budgetary allocation has been made for the upcoming financial year to support the Lok Kerala Sabha.
This announcement comes amid discussions of differing opinions within the ruling coalition and media reports suggesting that Satheesan might be reconsidering his previous opposition to the initiative. The Lok Kerala Sabha was designed to connect the global Malayali diaspora with Kerala’s development and address issues pertinent to the expatriate community. However, the UDF had distanced itself from the program initiated by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The CMO emphasized that the decision to halt the Lok Kerala Sabha is a political choice made by the UDF, with no changes anticipated. Importantly, the government clarified that this does not mean an end to activities supporting the welfare of expatriates. The Lok Kerala Sabha secretariat will continue to operate, with funds allocated for its administrative expenses.
Additionally, the government has set aside resources for programs organized through Norka, business leadership meetings, and other initiatives related to the expatriate community. The welfare of expatriate Indians remains a priority for the administration.
During the previous administration, the Lok Kerala Sabha became a significant political controversy, with the UDF accusing the LDF of misusing public funds. Satheesan himself was a vocal critic of the platform, and the UDF boycotted its official sessions.
The fifth edition of the Lok Kerala Sabha took place in January in Thiruvananthapuram, attracting over 500 representatives from 125 countries and 28 states in India, with the UDF also opting out of this event.
With the latest clarification from the government, it appears that the sixth edition of the Lok Kerala Sabha will not follow the model established by the LDF. However, the government indicated its intention to maintain engagement with expatriate Malayalis through Norka and other welfare programs in the future.
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