The over-a-month-long session of the Kerala Assembly, beginning on Friday, could see turbulence within and outside the House over the bar bribery row, the alleged corruption in the conduct of the National Games, and the solar scam that has refused to go away despite the government appointing a judicial commission to inquire into it.
Despite much confusion among them, the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) constituents are determined to train their collective fire power at the government, particularly Finance Minister K.M. Mani, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.
Outside the House, the BJP is also getting ready to mount a sharp attack on the government over the bar bribery row, which would see the party and its youth wing laying siege to the House on March 13, the day on which Mr. Mani is to rise to present his 13th budget.
Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has been the most scathing in his attack against Mr. Mani, speaking in very dark terms about what awaits the Finance Minister if he tries to present the budget. Although his party colleagues have not gone that far, they have also dropped sufficient hints about the possibility of the Opposition going to any length to prevent Mr. Mani from presenting the budget, a threat that has been described by the Chief Minister as ‘extremist’ and which is best avoided in a democracy.
The government bid would be to exploit what it sees as chinks in the Opposition ranks, particularly the differences between the mainline CPI(M) leadership and Mr. Achuthanandan outside the House, which had seen him walk out in a huff from the CPI(M) State conference in Alappuzha.
In the CPI too, differences among the leaders are palpable as was shown by the near-showdown at the time of electing Kanam Rajendran as the new State secretary the other day. The difficulties of the Opposition should actually prove more worrisome for the government as individuals and groups within the Opposition alliance are likely to go to lengths that they would not normally go so that their internal difficulties do not show.
Speaker G. Karthikeyan, undergoing treatment for cancer in Bengaluru, would not be present in the House. In his absence, Deputy Speaker N. Sakthan would lead the House. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPI(M) deputy legislature party, returns to the House as the CPI(M) State secretary.
He has hinted at the possibility of his vacating the post, but that might happen only after this session or towards its latter half given the kind of anti-government offensive that the Opposition plans to mount in the House.
Bar case, conduct of Games to be debated
UDF to exploit alleged chinks in Opposition ranks
