Political violence, vigilance case to make Ker assembly stormy

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 25: The second session of the 13th Kerala Assembly, scheduled to begin here tomorrow, is likely to be stormy with opposition Congress-led UDF targetting to take on the CPI(M)-led LDF government on various issues including alleged political violence.

UDF leaders have already given indications that the controversy over government's recent agreement with managements of private self-financing medical colleges on admission and fees would also be raised during the 29-day-long session.

However, the ruling LDF is confident of overcoming the opposition challenge with a list of achievements in a short period of 100 days in office.

The indefinite fast, conducted by Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose before the Secretariat here, on medical college issue, is also expected to find an echo.

The alleged attack against workers of opposition parties, especially in politically volatile Kannur district, would be another headache for the ruling front. Both Congress and BJP have alleged that CPI(M), which leads ruling LDF, is trying to annihilate rival party activists ever since it came into power after the May 16 Assembly polls.

Kerala PCC president V M Sudheeran today alleged that the Vigilance case against Congress leader and former Excise Minister K Babu in the bar bribery scam was part of a political vendetta of the LDF government.

"Vigilance has failed to come out with any evidence against Babu in the case. It is a clear case of political vindictiveness," he told reporters here while briefing them on yesterday's KPCC's political affairs committee meeting.

Meanwhile, LDF circles expressed confidence that various government initiatives including that of distribution of welfare pension which was pending for many months, a comprehensive housing programme for poor and landless, and reforms in education and health sector would equip it to take on the Congress-led UDF opposition.

The session will also witness former Finance Minister K M Mani-led Kerala Congress (M) sitting as a separate bloc after snapping its three decade-old ties with UDF. The main agenda of the session is to pass the budget for the year 2016-17.

GST Constitutional Amendment Bill is also expected to come up for approval. Besides, the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, envisaged to mobilise funds outside the budget for development projects and the Kerala State Devaswom Recruitment Board (Amendment) Bill to hand over appointments in temples other than priests to the Public Service Commission, would also come up.

PTI