Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 The floor of the Kerala Assembly on Monday witnessed an angry exchange of words between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Ramesh Chennithala, veteran Congress legislator, a former home minister and leader of opposition.
Soon after question hour, the seasoned Congress MLA sought leave for an adjournment motion to discuss the burning issue of the increase in the use and trading of drugs in Kerala, besides the increasing violence among the student community.
As he moved his leave for the adjournment motion, Chennithala, in his speech, used the words ‘Mr Chief Minister’ a few times and slammed CM Vijayan for being unable to tackle this grave issue through effective policing. This irked CM Vijayan.
Continuing to slam the CM, Chennithala then pointed to incidents like the recent suicide of Kannur ADM Naveen Babu and the controversial granting of parole to the accused ( CPI(M) activists) in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case.
“Mr Chief Minister, what’s happening in our state?” asked Chennithala.
CM Vijayan known for his tough demeanor, lost his cool as Chennithala continued to repeat the words 'Mr. Chief Minister’. The CM stood up and said, “There is no need to address Mr Chief Minister alone all the time, instead, you should understand what’s happening in our state.”
Seeing CM Vijayan fuming, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan got up and said to him, “You are the Chief Minister and also the Home Minister, and we will criticize. Why are you so intolerant of being criticized? We are sitting here not to speak what you want to hear. Moreover, addressing you as Mr Chief Minister is not wrong,” said Satheesan.
Chennithala pointed out that there was nothing wrong with using the terminology Mr Chief Minister, as it’s not an unparliamentary expression.
During the first term of CM Vijayan (2016-21), Chennithala was the leader of opposition, and during then, also there were a few times when both of them entered heated discussions and in his second term -- 2021 onwards, Satheesan became the LoP and has been keeping CM Vijayan on tenterhooks.
Incidentally, CM Vijayan is the unquestionable leader both in the government and in the ruling Left Democratic Front, and over the years, there has not been a single voice of dissent against him, especially within his party or coalition. It is only on the floor of the Assembly that he faces a direct attack from the opposition, and like in the past many times, he often loses his cool, as was seen on Monday.
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