Chandy rules out resignation; LDF calls Kerala hartal tomorrow

As opposition LDF mounted pressure over the solar panel scam which has brought his office under a cloud, an unshaken Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today firmly rejected the demand for his resignation and dismissed charges against him as 'a political conspiracy'.
Rejecting opposition charges, Chandy told the assembly that the ruling United Democratic Front was united on the issue and would not succumb to political conspiracy.
Chandy's stand sparked instant protest by LDF inside and outside the state Assembly, which was adjourned sine-die after passage of Finance Bill without discussion amid pandemonium following opposition demand for his resignation.
On a day of high-drama, a meeting of the Left Democratic Front held in the evening gave a call for a 12-hour hartal in the state tomorrow besides announcing a series of protests over the next two weeks to press its demand.

The meeting also decided to hold a 24-hour dharna before the state secretariat with the participation of its MLAs and MPs on July 22 besides public meetings and marches LDF Convenor Vaikom Viswam told reporters.
Earlier, LDF supporters clashed with police near the secretariat complex forcing police to fire teargas shells.

CPI-M veteran and Opposition leader V S Achuthanadan felt uneasiness after a teargas shell burst near the place where LDF MLAs were staging a sit-in. The 89-year old leader was taken to hospital for observation, party sources said.
The teargas was used to disperse activists of CPI-M's student wing SFI and other opposition outfits. Senior CPI leader and former state minister C Divakaran MLA too felt uneasy after inhaling tear gas.

Police arrested and removed a number of activists who tried to enter the high-security secretariat complex here.
Even as Opposition intensified its agitation for his removal, Chandy received support from Defence Minister A K Antony who ruled out any change in the state government.
"There is no political crisis in the state. None need to think that there will be a change of government,' he said in Alappuzha, signalling Chandy would not resign on the issue.