Thiruvananthapuram: There's good news for the 271 former MLAs in the state belonging to various political parties.
Kerala State Former MLA's Forum will pursue developmental activities they could not complete during their tenure.
The forum has elected former NDP MLA from Neyyattinkara R. Sundaresan Nair as its chairman and P. M. Mathew (Kaduthuruthy) of Kerala Congress (M) the working chairman.
A 17-member committee will see them working under the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Close to 100 former legislators attended its first meeting held in the state capital. Of the 271, belonging to various political parties, 200 are still active in politics.
Kerala Congress (Jacob) chairman and former MLA Johnny Nellore, who took the initiative, said the local MLAs would have passed over the baton to their successor where their name would be after the ward member on the plaque when launched.
“Protocol has to be put in place. We should be accommodated in district development committees. Taluk Sabha and hospital advisory boards. A majority of ex-MLAs belong to the left camp, and we are hopeful that this forum will be beneficial to all,” he told DC.
The panel has also decided to enlist seven former Speakers – Vakkom Purushothaman, V. M. Sudheeran, M. Vijayakumar, P. P. Thankachan, Therambil Ramakrishnan, K. Radhakrishnan and N. Sakthan.
Currently, ex–MLAs are getting a pension of Rs 10,000 every month, Rs 50,000 worth railway coupons/diesel and medical reimbursement which is a cumbersome process.
They will demand simplified procedures for medical reimbursement.
States like Telangana and Mizoram provide their ex–MLAs with a monthly pension of Rs 40,000. Karnataka pays Rs 25,000.
