JOIN USKerala Speaker cautions Opposition MLAs of election defeat, invites criticism
Kerala Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer has cautioned MLAs of the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front that they may get defeated in the elections owing to their unruly behaviour in the House.
The Assembly was disrupted for the second consecutive day on Tuesday over the Kochi garbage fire row.
"Don't spoil your image. Many of you have won the elections with a narrow margin and hence you may get defeated next time. The people who voted for you are seeing this. Shafi, (Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil) you will get defeated next time," the Speaker said as the Opposition MLAs entered the well of the House and raised placards and banners blocking the Speaker's view.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan and other senior leaders of the Opposition later called on the Speaker and conveyed the Opposition's protest over the remarks. Congress leader and former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded that the Speaker withdraw his remarks and tender an apology.
Flaying the Speaker's remarks, Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil said that it was for the people to decide who should win and the speaker need not make a decision. Parambil, who defeated BJP candidate 'Metroman' E Sreedharan in last election, also asked the speaker to clarify which party's victory he was looking for.
The Opposition staged protest in the house after permission was denied for presenting an adjournment motion notice over police action on Congress councillors and leaders at Kochi corporation in connection with a protest over the garbage plant fire. The Opposition later boycotted the house after a symbolic presentation of the notice in the well of the house. Opposition leader Satheesan alleged that permission was denied to the adjournment motion notice as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan did not want to speak about the Kochi garbage issue.