THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition staged a walkout in the assembly in protest against the LDF government’s decision to not stop other business of the house to discuss the potholed roads in the state. Moving the adjournment motion, Perumbavur MLA Eldhose Kunnapally said both the Centre and the state should realise the potholes would create accidents. But PWD Minister P A Mohamed Riyas’ reply, in which he alleged a BJP-Congress understanding, angered the Opposition.
Eldhose alleged both the state and the Centre were blaming each other for the poor condition of the PWD roads and national highways. Recalling that the High Court too had intervened, the Congress legislator blamed authorities’ lack of responsibility.
Riyas said more than `16 crore was sanctioned for road modernisation in Eldhose’s constituency alone. The minister also attacked the state Congress leadership for not criticising the central BJP ministers’ visits to the state, saying the former was endorsing the BJP’s politics.“Whether you move adjournment motion or perform our adiyanthiram (post-funeral rites), we’ll continue our fight will continue against the BJP,” said Riyas.
This enraged the Opposition which saw V D Satheesan demanding to know why politics has to be dragged when the assembly is discussing a pertinent issue. “If the legislators are given funds for road maintenance, it’s not a personal favour from you, but from the tax payer’s account. The tendering process was delayed and the dispute between the recently constituted maintenance wing and the roads division is the villain,” said Satheesan.