Thiruvananthapuram, May 21 (IANS) The ‘festival of democracy’ was witnessed in its exuberant manifestation in Kerala on Thursday when the sprawling premises of the legislature turned into an open public area as 139 newly-elected lawmakers of the 16th Assembly took oath amid scenes rarely witnessed in the state’s political history.

For once, the imposing Assembly complex shed its aura of exclusivity and power.

There were no tense security cordons, no aggressive frisking, and no stern officials demanding entry passes from visitors.

The common people, party workers, former legislators, political enthusiasts, and curious onlookers walked freely through corridors that are usually tightly regulated, giving the entire venue the feel of a public celebration rather than a formal constitutional exercise.

The only area that remained restricted was the entrance leading directly to the Assembly floor.

Everywhere else, the atmosphere resembled a carnival of politics, with animated conversations, selfies, hurried greetings and endless streams of visitors filling the corridors.

Even the Assembly coffee shop, traditionally reserved for legislators and journalists, was thrown open to all.

“It’s bumper business today,” a smiling canteen employee said as he struggled to keep pace with the crowd that poured in for tea, snacks and political gossip.

The new political equations in the House were visible not just inside the Assembly but across its corridors.

State BJP General Secretary S. Suresh, sporting a broad smile, appeared especially upbeat as his party returned to the Assembly with three legislators.

“Now we will be seen here more often,” he remarked cheerfully. “You just wait and see, we are going to make big changes and the Assembly will become far more interesting,” Suresh told IANS.

Another familiar face drawing attention was former minister K. P. Mohanan, who until recently occupied the treasury benches in the outgoing Assembly.

This time, however, he walked the corridors carrying the press pass of the newspaper he owns.

“I have now returned to my profession,” Mohanan said with a smile. “I decided not to contest again and handed over the seat to my nephew, and he won too.”

As the oath-taking ceremony unfolded, the Assembly complex offered a rare sight: politics stripped of barriers, mingling freely with the people it claims to represent.

–IANS

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