THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Daggers have been drawn between the ruling CPM led treasury benches and the Congress-led opposition and the protagonist in this is none other than Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, as he arrives at the Kerala Assembly on Wednesday for his address.
The assembly is likely to be a stormy one as the Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala for the first time in the history of the assembly has sought to move a resolution, if passed, to be sent to President of India to remove Khan from the post of governor as he has deplored the assembly, with his statement on resolution against the Citizenship Amendment (2019) Act, which Congress claims is a clear disrespect to the assembly.
While Vijayan”s party, the CPM-led Left has gone hammer and tongs against the CAA and even held a protest by holding a human chain running across the state from the northern tip to the southern tip on Sunday when a record seven million people took place, the dilly dallying by Vijayan as Chief Minister to the resolution moved by Chennithala has come under fire by the opposition.
“We now really doubt, Vijayan”s intent as after raising the banner of revolt against Khan, he is now soft pedalling. The people of Kerala feels let down by Vijayan. It now appears both Vijayan and Khan are on the same side. We do expect that tomorrow they will support us,” said Chennithala to the media, here, on Tuesday and reiterated that they stand by their decision seeking Khan”s withdrawal.
The Speaker of the assembly, P. Sreeramakrishnan while addressing his customary press conference announcing the details of the new session, here, on Tuesday confirmed that he has received the letter for moving the resolution under the rules of the assembly.
“The notice given by him (Chennithala) is admissible as per the rules of the assembly. When such a request comes there is a procedure and it will see the speaker take up with the head of the house – the Chief Minister. Then it will go before the business advisory committee which will take the decision,” said the speaker.
In response to a question on the resolution passed by the assembly last month seeking scrapping of the CAA and which came under fire from Khan, Sreeramakrishnan said that what happened last month was perfectly legal and within the rules of the legislature.
“There is nothing personal with the governor,” added the speaker. The opposition, however is keeping their cards close to their chest and will decide on how and what to do, when Khan arrives on Wednesday for his address, only just before the session begins when their legislature party meets.
In the 140-member Kerala assembly, the lone BJP member is veteran O. Rajagopal and the treasury bench strength hugely outnumbers the opposition bench.
