Chandy's mass contact programme under way in Palakkad

Seeking solutions to their grievances, people in large numbers turned up to meet Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at his Mass Contact Programme in this predominantly rural district today.

Security was tight in and around the stadium grounds in the town, where Chandy came walking from a nearby Inspection Bungalow as the opposition LDF blocked the roads leading to the venue in the morning.

According to Chief Minister's Office, a total of 18,480 petitions on a host of issues ranging from welfare pensions to medical aid had been received for consideration.

Chandy had embarked on the second phase of the Mass Contact Programme last month and has already covered five of the 14 districts.

The programme has won the UN's Public Service Award as a unique initiative in which the head of a government is directly engaging with people at the grass roots.

The LDF opposition has organised protests at the programme venues as part of their ongoing boycott of Chandy demanding his resignation in the context of the solar scam.