Opposition stalls Kerala assembly for second day

TRIVANDRUM: The Congress party-led opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), fresh from reversals in last week’s by-elections, continued to turn the heat on the ruling coalition on Tuesday.

It stalled the proceedings of the state assembly for the second consecutive day, this time over the murder of an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) worker in Malappuram last week.

Similar protests over the acquital of four people accused of brutal rape and murder of two minor siblings had forced the adjournment of the house on Monday.

In both cases, alleged workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM which leads the ruling Let Democratic Front (LDF) are on the defensive. They started disruptions during the question hour over corruption charges against power minister MM Mani and stalled the house immediately ater their leaders spoke.

Raising the murder of IUML member Ishaque, 38, in Tanur, the opposition’s deputy floor leader MK Muneer said CPM was extending its killing fields to Malappuram.

He said the murder happened immediately ater CPM’S Kannur strongman P Jayarajan, a defendant in two murder cases pending trial, visited the district.

Muneer, whose father CH Mohammed Koya, the late chief minister of the state, represented Tanur in the first assembly in 1957 and got reelected in 1960, said the political violence erupted in the constituency since an LDF candidate won in 2016.

“Like Jolly (the accused in the sensational killings of six in a family in 13 years), wherever the CPM takes out its knife, his presence is there,” the IUML leader said.

“Whenever a political killing happens in Kerala, you are on the other side. Our party has held this constituency (Tanur) for six decades and there were no political murders.”

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, opposing his demand for a discussion, dismissed the killing as part of a family feud and in retaliation to an earlier atack.

He said the police had already arrested three atackers, including two brothers of a local CPM leader, and accepted their demand for a special investigation team.

The opposition disrupted proceedings when speaker P Sreeramakrishnan expressed satisfaction in the chief minister’s reply and rejected the demand.

He adjourned the proceedings ater opposition members stormed into the well of the house carrying banners and raising slogans.

“The elected member of the area has not visited the house of the victim, though he reached his neighbourhood,” Muneer said.