LDF calls off siege of CM’s official residence

To raise solar issue in Assembly which begins on Friday

The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) has called off its siege of Cliff House, the official residence of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, over the solar scam and ended its black-flag demonstrations against Mr. Chandy.

The LDF State committee, which met here on Sunday, decided to raise the solar scam, along with other people’s woes, on the floor of the Assembly, which begins its first session of the year on Friday.

“We have decided to call off the siege and the black-flag demonstrations in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections and the need to begin our preparations for the elections in right earnest,” LDF convener Vaikom Viswan said at a press conference.

Mr. Viswan brushed aside the suggestion that the LDF decision was born out of the realisation that the methods of agitation chosen by the Opposition were wrong.

“We have not arrived at any such conclusion,” he said and insisted that the Opposition would continue to raise the issue in the Assembly at every available opportunity.

Aranmula project

He said the Opposition would offer its full support to the agitation against the Aranmula airport project.

The Chief Minister, Mr. Viswan alleged, is pushing the project with false claims and accusations against the previous LDF government. The Oommen Chandy government has facilitated environmental clearance for the project by suppressing facts, violating all relevant laws and rules and removing a District Collector who had repeatedly asserted that the airport project was being located on excess land. The UDF government has decided to take a 10 per cent equity in the project, he said.

Land distribution

The government, he said, is trying to fool the landless by promising them title deeds without any conditions attached.

People who have been given title deeds are finding to their dismay that the land given to them came with strings attached.

Thousands of farmers are waiting indefinitely for title deeds. The LDF will extend support to farmers’ agitations over the issue.

Wheat for APL

It will also take up the non-availability of wheat to those who hold Above Poverty Line ration cards, which has resulted in a sharp spurt in the open market price of the grain, he said.