Fresh voices, sharp attacks: Eight debutants stun in assembly motion of thanks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fresh faces dominated the floor on day one of the Assembly’s Motion of Thanks debate yesterday, with eight debutants numbering among the 20 members who spoke.

While V. Muraleedharan and Ramya Haridas are newcomers to the State Assembly, both bring substantial parliamentary experience to the floor. The other fresh faces who weighed in during the debate included P.K. Firos, Jyothikumar Chamakkala, Roy K. Paulose, Mohammed Shiyas, Senapathy Venu, and Apu John Joseph.

M. Vincent, who introduced the motion, launched a scathing attack on the opposition front, stating that an "arrogant attitude of challenging who else could replace them" was the primary reason for the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) recent political setbacks.

Countering the ruling party's narrative, former Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal dismissed allegations regarding the state's financial health during the previous government's tenure, calling the propaganda entirely baseless.

Key takeaways from the members' speeches:

• Apu John Joseph: Urged the government to expand the ₹5-lakh interest-free entrepreneurial loan scheme to include agricultural ventures.
• Mohammed Shiyas: Attributed the LDF's electoral rejection to its alleged attempts to create communal divisions through anti-Muslim politics.
• Jyothikumar Chamakkala: Criticised the previous administration's functioning as self-centred. He alleged that instead of accepting reality, the opposition front was trying to deceive the public by fabricating stories of a political deal between the BJP and the UDF.
• Ramya Haridas: Hailed the free travel scheme for women as the most impactful public welfare initiative since the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• P.K. Firos: In a sharp rhetorical jab, remarked that the only reason the public did not storm the Cliff House swimming pool was due to the high cultural refinement of the people of Kerala.
• Roy K. Paulose: Critiqued the LDF’s record on land title distribution, stating that the past government’s approach was defined by empty promises.
• Senapathy Venu: Highlighted the positive impact of the promise of unconditional land title distribution, noting it had generated significant momentum in the hill segments.