CM Vijayan and LoP Satheesan ‘clash’ at BAC meeting

Thiruvananthapuram: With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan, being at loggerheads most of the time, the situation went out of control at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday.

After an exchange of words, Satheesan and the leaders of other Opposition parties walked out of the meeting.

The fracas took place as the Opposition wanted a change in the budget presentation day, which has been fixed for February 5 by the Kerala Government and Vijayan was not open to a change of date.

Satheesan had requested for a change as the Congress party was having a programme on February 5 and wanted Vijayan to announce the state budget on February 2.

According to sources, at the meeting Satheesan said the Vijayan Government did not have a positive attitude towards the Opposition and Vijayan immediately responded by saying that the Opposition was in no way better.

Vijayan known for his tough demeanour said such statements need not be made in the Assembly. To this Satheesan hit back by saying, Vijayan also needn’t make similar statements.

Soon Satheesan walked out of the meeting that had been called to discuss the curtailment of the fresh Assembly session in the wake of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

According to the original schedule the present session was to end on March 27. At the end of the meeting Vijayan decided that the present session would now end on February 15.