Assembly: LDF-UDF into wordy duel over Mayor's purported letter on appointments


PTI | Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: 05-12-2022 16:21 IST | Created: 05-12-2022 16:21 IST
Assembly: LDF-UDF into wordy duel over Mayor's purported letter on appointments
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The first day of the Kerala Assembly's seventh session saw the UDF opposition alleging large-scale back-door appointments in local bodies across the State based on a letter allegedly written by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor and sought her resignation, while the ruling Left front denied the allegations and termed them as ''falsehoods.'' The UDF sought adjournment of the House proceedings to discuss the issue raised by it, but the demand was rejected by the Assembly based on the explanations provided by State Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh who claimed that all permanent and temporary appointments have been made via the Public Service Commission or the Employment Exchange.

Rajesh contended that in the last six years of Left rule in the State, there have been nearly two lakh appointments via the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) which was more than most States of the country.

He said that in the last year, over 68,000 people have been appointed through the Employment Exchange and therefore, opposition claims that exchange and the PSC were mere spectators to the alleged back-door appointments was ''falsehoods'' and ''false propaganda'' being spread by them.

Rajesh also termed as ''fake'' the letter allegedly written by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran to the district leadership of CPI(M) seeking names of party cadres to be appointed on contract in the civic body.

''In view of the explanations provided by the Minister, the motion to adjourn the House proceedings to discuss the issue raised is rejected,'' Speaker A N Shamseer said.

However, during the walkout speech by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) V D Satheesan, some remarks from the side of the Left front prompted several UDF MLAs to leave their seats and troop into the well of the House shouting slogans demanding resignation of the Mayor who purportedly wrote the letter in question.

A section of opposition MLAs continued to raise slogans in front of the Speaker dais till the Assembly proceedings were concluded for the day after introduction of some Bills and passage of motions for referring them to the respective Subject Committees.

The Assembly would reconvene on Tuesday morning, the Speaker said after announcing the conclusion of the day's proceedings.

The notice seeking adjournment of the proceedings was moved by Congress MLA P V Vishnunadh who claimed in the House that large-scale back-door appointments were going on in permanent and contractual posts in local bodies and some other State-run authorities.

The Congress MLA also questioned how Rajesh could say the letter in question was fake as the Crime Branch wing of the police which is investigating into the matter is yet to say that.

Satheesan, during his walkout speech, also raised the same question and alleged that such a ''finding'' by the Minister was not only ''baseless'' but also an abuse of his official position.

The LoP also reiterated the allegations of back-door appointments in not only local bodies and State-run authorities but also universities.

He also alleged that the letter in question was leaked in the CPI(M) groups by their members due to internal differences in the party over sharing of power.

Amidst his speech, MLAs of the ruling front and Ministers rose up and objected to his remarks leading to a verbal duel between legislators of both sides that finally resulted in some UDF MLAs trooping into the well of the House and standing in front of the Speaker dais shouting slogans.

They shouted slogans demanding resignation of Rajendran and that the Kerala PSC and the Employment Exchanges have been turned into mere spectators as party leaders at the State and district-levels carry out appointments of party cadres in local bodies, State-run authorities and universities.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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