Continuing its offensive against the Oommen Chandy government over the bar bribery row involving Finance Minister K.M. Mani, members of the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) boycotted Governor P. Sathasivam’s maiden policy address to the Kerala Assembly here on Friday.
Later in the day, Opposition leaders met Mr. Sathasivam at Raj Bhavan to present their case and the LDF State committee announced its plans to hold a massive march to the Legislature complex on March 13, the day on which Mr. Mani is supposed to present his 13th budget.
Emerging from the meeting with Mr. Sathasivam, the Opposition leaders said the Governor had promised to look into their demand that Mr. Mani should not be permitted to present the budget.
In the Assembly, the Opposition greeted the Governor with slogans, banners, and placards urging him not to deliver the policy address. As soon as the Governor rose to deliver the address, Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan was on his feet reminding him that he was about to deliver a policy address of a Cabinet that also included Mr. Mani, who faced serious charges of corruption.
The Governor turned to the Opposition leader and said, “I will consider Sir.” As the Governor proceeded to read the policy address, the Opposition members once again began shouting slogans and marched out of the House.
