Thiruvananthapuram, June 25, 2025
Amid criticism following the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) heavy defeat in the Nilambur bypoll, the Kerala Cabinet has drawn flak for prioritizing a ₹7.40 crore renovation project for the Kerala Legislative Assembly canteen.
The decision was taken in the first Cabinet meeting after the bypoll loss, sparking allegations that the government is ignoring people’s real concerns in favor of wasteful spending.
The move has come under sharp criticism, especially as the government continues to delay even minor salary revisions for Asha workers — frontline health workers who have been demanding better wages for years.
Critics argue that allocating crores for renovating the Assembly’s dining hall while neglecting the welfare of essential workers is both insensitive and politically tone-deaf.
This is not the first time the Assembly canteen has undergone renovation. During the first Pinarayi Vijayan government, under then Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan, the canteen was refurbished at considerable cost.
The fresh approval of another multi-crore revamp has raised eyebrows and questions about its necessity.
The controversy has also reignited debates over the repeated awarding of high-value government contracts to the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS).
The organization has been consistently entrusted with major Assembly-related projects:
• Shankaranarayanan Thampi Hall Renovation: Awarded to ULCCS at a cost of ₹16 crore.
• E-Assembly Project: A ₹53 crore digital modernization effort also assigned to ULCCS. However, this project remains incomplete and has attracted several complaints.
In this context, there is strong speculation that the canteen renovation contract too will be handed over to ULCCS.
Political observers and opposition leaders have called the Cabinet’s decision tone-deaf and ironic. “A meeting that should have focused on addressing people’s issues has prioritized the renovation of the Assembly’s dining space,” a critic remarked.
Meanwhile, construction is also progressing rapidly on the ₹2.25 crore EMS Memorial inside the Assembly complex — another project viewed as poorly timed with only a few months left in the government’s current term.
Opposition leaders claim these decisions show that the government has failed to take the Nilambur verdict seriously. “Instead of introspection, the government is indulging in vanity projects,” they alleged.
