: The internal problems in the United Democratic Front (UDF) and within some of its constituents might force the ruling coalition to go on the defensive during the 23-day Assembly session beginning Friday .
There would be several occasions for the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) to raise many issues in its attempts to corner the ruling coalition. Apart from the Zero Hour, the LDF will get enough opportunities to pillory the government during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address and during the three-day general debate on the Budget. This is over and above the disruption the Opposition seems to have planned during the Governor’s address and during Finance Minister K.M. Mani’s Budget presentation on March 13. The LDF is yet to decide on the intensity of its boycott, but it is almost sure that there would be high voltage activity on Budget day.
For the last few months, the UDF has been facing problems at home more than from the Opposition. Government Chief Whip P.C. George has been functioning as a one-man army, causing embarrassment to the UDF and his own party and its leader K.M. Mani, who is currently facing corruption charges in the bar licence case.
