THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Speaker G. Karthikeyan, recuperating here after his treatment in the US, will chair question hour on the first day of the pre-budget session of the Assembly starting on December 1.
Mr Karthikeyan’s health has improved, but it is yet to be decided whether he will be active during the session, which ends on December 18.
Mr Karthikeyan had undergone treatment for his liver complaint in Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Though he did not undergo any surgery, he was advised to change the medicines prescribed earlier by the doctors at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
He was sent to the US with the intervention of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and senior Congress leader A. K. Antony. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had accompanied Mr Karthikeyan and his family.
During the last one week, Mr Karthikeyan had been meeting visitors till afternoon. Sources said that he was in good spirits.“If Karthikeyan is unable to chair the session, deputy speaker N. Sakthan will hold office.
Also, on the day the session starts, the respective parties will hold their parliamentary party and decide who should become the deputy speaker in the absence of Karthikeyan and Sakthan,” said Mr Karthikeyan’s office staff.
Incidentally, Mr Karthikeyan had expressed his decision to step down from the post of Speaker to Mr Chandy and the Congress high command a few months back.
He was keen to get back to active politics when his health deteriorated. Under the present circumstances, doctors and his colleagues in the party have advised him to stay put in the Speaker’s chair.
