Kasaragod: Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has proposed an event to mark the Kerala Legislative Assembly’s 70th anniversary by bringing together and honouring 70 distinguished Keralites from different fields across the world.

He shared his thoughts in Kasaragod on Saturday, even as the government is considering alternatives to the Loka Kerala Sabha, which the Cabinet has decided to discontinue amid financial constraints.

Radhakrishnan said the Assembly’s 70th anniversary, which falls in April 2027, could be used to bring together prominent Keralites and recognise their contributions. “There is a plan in my mind, but there should be discussions at various levels before we finalise it. When we celebrate the 70th anniversary, we are thinking of bringing 70 distinguished Malayalis onto one platform and recognising their good work before the people,” he said.

The proposed invitees could include artists, writers, cultural figures and prominent personalities from various fields, he said. “We are looking at 70 of the most prominent Malayalis and inviting them to the Legislative Assembly, making all the necessary arrangements for them and honouring them. Because this is the 70th birthday of the Kerala Legislative Assembly,” Radhakrishnan said.

On the decision to discontinue the Loka Kerala Sabha, the Speaker said financial constraints had made it difficult for both the government and the Assembly to organise an event of that scale.

The Loka Kerala Sabha, an official diaspora forum, held all five of its biennial editions between 2018 and 2026 within the premises of the Kerala Legislative Assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram.
“We have thought a lot about conducting the Loka Kerala Sabha. But we have financial constraints. The state is not in a position now to spend such a large amount of money. The Kerala Legislative Assembly is not in a position to do so either,” he said. He said the Assembly was also considering a different programme that would allow Malayalis living across the world to participate.

'Not the right time to speak on day-to-day politics’
Speaker Radhakrishnan declined to comment on the ongoing differences within the Congress and the UDF, including UDF convenor Adoor Prakash’s public criticism of Opposition Leader V D Satheesan over an alleged lack of consultation. Prakash has said he would raise his concerns with the AICC.

Asked about the differences within the UDF, the Speaker said disagreements were natural in coalition politics. “There will naturally be differences within politics. People will have different opinions. One opinion will be met with a counter-opinion. That is natural,” he said.

Radhakrishnan said he did not want to comment publicly on internal party matters and expected the leaders concerned to resolve them at their own level.

He said while previous Speakers might have commented on political matters depending on the circumstances of their time, he intended to follow a different approach. “If a situation arises in which I need to speak politically, I will do so. But if I keep speaking about politics every day, I would be entering the space occupied by our prominent political leaders,” he said.

He said it was not the right time to intervene in the day-to-day affairs of politics. “As of today, there is no need for me to intervene. Only if a situation arises that requires my intervention, I will intervene,” Radhakrishnan said.