Kerala Assembly rejects resolution moved by UDF against Speaker; Opposition stages walkout during discussion

The UDF had moved the resolution against Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan in the wake of allegations against him in the dollar smuggling case and over the alleged extravagance in the various construction activities carried out in the Assembly complex Thiruvananthapuram: The Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front on Thursday moved a resolution, against Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan in the Kerala Assembly seeking his resignation, and staged a walkout during the discussion, after which it was rejected by the House. Indian Union Muslim League MLAM Ummer presented the resolution and citing the news reports, said: “it seems like after the end of the current session of the Assembly, the customs may question the Speaker”. “He will be known as the most tainted Speaker in the history of Kerala Assembly,” Chennithala said and pointed out that the current Speaker had during the last government’s term climbed the dais in protest. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly backed the Speaker and said with this resolution, the “political pauperism of the opposition parties” was exposed, adding that there was a conspiracy behind targeting Sreeramakrishnan.