Kerala Assembly adjourned after tense stand-off between Opposition and ruling front

Tense stand-off in Kerala Legislative Assembly leads to verbal duel between Chief Minister and Opposition Leader.

Speaker A.N. Shamseer adjourned the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday (October 7, 2024) following a tense stand-off between the Treasury and the Opposition benches.

A verbal duel between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan marked the day’s tumultuous proceedings.

The main point of contention emerged when Mr. Satheesan accused Mr. Shamseer of arbitrarily striking down 49 written questions, many of which required answers from Mr. Vijayan, at the government’s behest.

Mr. Vijayan accused Mr. Satheesan of disparaging the Chair and questioning the Speaker’s integrity. He accused Mr. Satheesan of “immaturity and disrespect” for the cCnstitutional nature of the latter’s office.

Mr. Satheesan retorted that he prayed daily “not to become corrupt like the Chief Minister.”

Apparently provoked, Mr. Vijayan countered that there was no comparison “between Vijayan and Satheesan.”

“The UDF (United Democratic Front) has relentlessly campaigned to tarnish me and, through me, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the (Kerala) government. However, the Opposition’s devices and designs would not pass muster with voters”, he said.