Remark on Lord Ganesha: Kerala Assembly Session likely to be stormy

The Kerala assembly session starting on Monday is likely to be stormy over speaker A N Shamseer's controversial remarks over Hindu beliefs, besides various allegations against the government and scarcity of many essential commodities ahead of Onam festival.

Even as the ruling CPI(M) is trying to tone down the 'myth row' by maintaining silence, the Nair Service Society's (NSS) open stand against the Speaker has put the CPI(M) in a fix. NSS on Sunday demanded the CPI(M) to take action against the speaker and warned of initiating legal action.

The BJP, which has no MLAs in Kerala, is trying to put pressure on the opposition Congress over the issue. Union minister of state and BJP leader from Kerala V Muraleedharan asked whether the Congress would cooperate with the speaker who made the remarks against Hindu beliefs..

The BJP also announced a 'nama japa' protest to the Kerala assembly in this connection. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has been so far maintaining silence on the matter, may be forced to speak on it.

Even as the Congress had already demanded the speaker to correct his remarks against Hindu beliefs, the party is unlikely to go for any major protest over the issue.

Instead, the party may take up other issues like scarcity of many essential commodities and the financial crisis of the government. Allegations raised by an IPS officer against the chief minister's office might be also raised by the opposition in the house.

On the opening day of the session on Monday, the house will adjourn after obituary references to former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who had been a MLA for the last 53 years in a row, and former governor and speaker Vakkom B. Purushothaman.