Kerala opposition to boycott joint photo session

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Congress-led opposition in Kerala has decided to boycott Thursday’s final photo session of legislators and other valedictory functions of the assembly called by the speaker.

Congress party chief whip T. Radhakrishnan told reporters in Kochi Tuesday that the opposition parties were pained by the remarks made against them by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan in his speech after moving the resolution to indefinitely adjourn the assembly.

“We had walked out of the house by then and that was the last day of the assembly session. After adjourning the house indefinitely, he (chief minister) made a speech belittling us.

“We asked Speaker K. Radhakrishnan not to put those remarks on record, but that has not happened. So we are boycotting all the functions listed for Thursday,” the party leader said.

The opposition has 50 members in the 141-member house.

A joint photo session of all the legislators is a custom after every assembly session gets over. This is usually followed by a lunch and a meeting where all former legislators are invited.

According to Radhakrishnan, the opposition will also boycott the inauguration of the assembly museum.

Opposition legislator P.C. George of Kerala Congress-M also told IANS Tuesday that his party has been notified by the office of leader of opposition Oommen Chandy not to attend the function called by the speaker.

The opposition has been upset over the decision by the Left Front government to reopen old cases against them.

The government had also registered a case against Congress Lok Sabha member K. Sudhakaran who made controversial remarks against the judiciary in a public speech.

In return, the opposition has turned the heat on Achuthanandan and his son V. Arun Kumar.

Senior opposition leaders Monday met Kerala Governor R.S. Gavai, urging him to take action against the chief minister over allegations that he tried to influence the judiciary.