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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Jan 10: With just a few days left for the first meeting of Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS), which will discuss non-resident Indian issues and advise on government’s policy decisions, the state government is racing against time to get confirmations from nominated delegates and to come out with a final list, Times of India reported.

Norka-Roots, the PSU under Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, which is in charge of the meeting, has not yet been able to give a final list of members representing NRKs and eminent Malayalis in various fields residing outside the state.

Though names of singer K J Yesudas and actor Vidya Balan have been making the rounds as celebrity members, Norka-Roots is yet to give any confirmation.

Other celebrities said to be attending the meet are Shobhana, Mrinalini Sarabhai, K Satchidandan, Nirupama Rao and Omcheri N N Pillai. The list of persons who have confirmed their attendance still awaits the final clearance by the chief minister.

According to sources from the chief mister’s office, the nominated members will include well-known businessmen like Yusuff Ali, Gulfar Mohammed Ali and P N C Menon, Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, Dr Azaad Moopan, Gokulam Gopalan, cardiac surgeon M S Valiathan, former chief justice K G Balakrishnan, attorney general K K Venugopal, Academy award winner and sound engineer Resul Pookutty and writers like M Mukundan.

But, many businesspersons including V T Vinod of Mars Hypermarkets from Muscat and those representing various Malayali organizations, who have confirmed their participation, have already scheduled their visit to the state capital.

“We have great expectations about the LKS, especially since it is a combined forum of lawmakers and migrants from across the world,” said P M Jabir, the community welfare secretary of Indian Social Club Oman, who is also a member of NRK Welfare Board.

Meanwhile, preparations are fast progressing at the Assembly Complex to host the event. The renovation of the R Sankara Narayanan Thampi memorial members’ lounge at where the LKS sessions will be held on Friday and Saturday, is nearing completion,

The seating arrangement at the members’ lounge, located on the ground floor, is being upgraded and the ‘seat plan’ is getting a final shape, and the manpower at the legislative secretariat will be utilized fully for the two-day event.

The LKS will have 351 members including the MPs from the state, MLAs and representatives of Malayali expatriate population across the world.