Governor's address in Assembly a gimmick: Oommen Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 (UNI) Alleging that Kerala Governor R L Bhatia's address in the Assembly is a ''gimmick,'' leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Oommen Chandy today said it was only a ''manifesto'' rather than a policy statement of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government.

Reacting to the address of the Governor, he said it was just repetition of the last two policy statements made by the government and it contained no vision and projects for the welfare of the people and the state, particularly measures for market intervention to check the price hike.

Though the state was under the grip of an acute price hike of essential commodities, the policy statement had not proposed anything to check it, he pointed out.

Terming the remarks about stern action against corruption as ''ridicule,'' he said the government had no moral right to make such statement after the outright rejection of the findings of an official committee that the land deal involving public sector HMT was illegal.

Alleging that a section of the media had published the governor's address even before it was delivered, he said the government had failed miserably to guard cabinet secrets.

Mr Chandy said the Opposition expressed its protest against the corruption and price hike in a democratic manner, without disrupting the governor's address, by holding placards and banners.

Kerala Congress (M) leader and former Finance Minister K M Mani called for an inquiry into the leakage of cabinet decision with a Legislative sub-committee.

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