THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The solar heat has replaced Bar fizz in the Assembly on Thursday. The Opposition LDF targeted Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, citing the allegations of solar-scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan and the protests eventually led to the disruption of the day’s listed proceedings.
But even amidst the LDF onslaught, Chandy and UDF and stood firm. Chandy made a convincing speech, asserting his innocence. The CM maintained that he was paying the price for not yielding to a master fraud, who was operating under the cover of a solar firm.
Chandy further took the sting out of the Opposition attack when he stated that he was not eligible to remain the CM or even to continue his political life if Biju’s allegations proved to be true.
Chandy asserted that if he, indeed, would step down, he would leave office as a CM who battled blackmailing tactics for justice. ‘
The CM also pointed out that one more person was present while Biju met him at the Ernakulam guest house.
On the claims of Biju that he had shown some clippings to him, Chandy said the tower location of Biju’s mobile phone proved that he was in Coimbatore on the those days.
Taking a cue from Chandy’s speech, ministers’ Shibu Baby John, A P Anil Kumar, Aryadan Mohammed and MLAs’ P C Vishnunath and Hybi Eden, who were also named by Biju, were equally assertive to quit their positions and end public life if proved guilty.
Chandy and Home minister Ramesh Chennithala raised the question of to what extent the statements of a murder case convict could be taken at face value.
Vishnunath blunted the attack of V S Achuthanandan, saying that he was included in the Opposition leader’s hit list after recording and recommending the illegal appointment of his son V A Arun Kumar. Earlier, Opposition members flashed banners, posters and shouted slogans demanding the resignation of Chandy.
After the Question Hour was finished on a peaceful note, the issue was raked up again with CPM’s E P Jayarajan presenting the notice for an adjournment motion. The speech of Jayarajan went jarring on occasions, as he shouted at Benny Behanan to sit down, only to be expunged by the Speaker. He said attempts had been made to stifle the voice of Biju through the T’Puram jail superintendent, but Chennithala crushed those charges.
Later, the Opposition held a sit-in, disrupting the Assembly proceedings and then held a march to the secretariat demanding the resignation of Chandy.