After 29-year gap, Chandy to present budget in Kerala

He took finance portfolio after former FM K M Mani quit in Nov last year after an adverse remark by the HC on the bar bribery case

After a gap of 29 years, the Kerala Assembly will witness a Chief Minister presenting the state budget, with Oommen Chandy all set to present the 2016-17 budget tomorrow.

Chandy is the fourth Chief Minister to present the budget. He will have to contend with CPI(M)-led LDF which has been seeking his resignation over solar and bar 'scams'.

Chandy, who took over the Finance portfolio after former Finance Minister K M Mani quit in November last year after an adverse remark by the High Court on the bar bribery case, is likely to present a people's friendly budget as the assembly elections are just around the corner.

The House had witnessed unprecedented violence on March 13 last year when LDF disrupted the budget presentation by Mani, demanding his resignation.

However, LDF opposition has not disclosed their strategy against Chandy in the House tomorrow.

Chandy had rejected the allegations as baseless and maintained they were part of a 'conspiracy' by a section of bar owners, who lost business due to government's new liquor policy that closed down 700 odd bars and CPI(M) in the state.

Notably, the UDF government has been facing the heat over the solar scam after prime accused in the case Saritha S Nair levelled fresh charges against Chandy and his cabinet colleague Arayadan Muhammed during her deposition before the Justice Sivarajan Commission.

LDF opposition members had boycotted assembly proceedings today, stating that they do not want to cooperate with a government neck deep in corruption.