Kerala CM Chandy seeks cooperation from Oppn

Says govt has left no stone unturned to ensure smooth functioning of the House

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday sought cooperation from the opposition for smooth running of the state assembly and said his government has done everything to ensure that "the proceedings in the house do not get disrupted".

"We have done no wrong. The speaker and the government have done their best to see that the proceedings in the house do not get disrupted," said Chandy while responding to a question after a weekly cabinet meeting here.

"The rule of the house and the precedence is that an issue can be raised and leave can be sought for an adjournment motion only once during one session. They (the opposition) raised the same issue seven times and each time we cooperated. The speaker allowed the motion to be raised. What more can we do?" asked Chandy.

Last week, the present session of the Kerala assembly was adjourned for two weeks after the Left opposition created ruckus over a cheating case by a con-couple, whose links with staffers in the Chief Minister's Office surfaced.

The 13th Kerala Legislative Assembly sat for 126 days and the proceedings were disrupted on more than 50 days.

"Each and every allegation that the opposition made was answered by me. We are not scared of having a debate. But they raise the allegations and then do not even want to hear what we have to say and go away. This is not fair," the chief minister said.

"We are willing to cooperate and that's what was seen on the floor of the house, while they (the opposition members) are unwilling."

The assembly is scheduled to resume sitting July 8.

On getting personal by raising the issue of divorce of Chandy's eldest daughter, Leader of Opposition V S Achuthanandan said: "I was only trying to make a point based on an affidavit filed by the former son-in-law of Chandy at a family court. But I was not allowed to complete what I wanted to say in the house."