Noisy scenes in Assembly over CM's remark against CPI

Thiruvananthapuram: The Assembly Thursday witnessed noisy scenes leading to a walkout and adjournment of House for one hour after Opposition demanded that the remark made by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy against CPI be expunged from the Assembly records.

Though Chandy expressed regret over yesterday's remark, LDF members insisted on removal of the statement connected with the "payment seat scandal" of Thiruvnanthapuram Parliament seat. Some opposition members then moved near the Speaker's podium forcing Deputy Speaker N Sakthan to adjourn the House.

"I express regret if the statement had hurt anybody. I did not intend to cause pain to any person", Chandy said.

C Divakaran, CPI leader in the assembly, however, wanted the removal of the remark from House records by the Speaker saying it defamed the party.

However, Sakthan told the House that as the statement had already been carried by the media, it can not be expunged from records.

When the House met after one hour, Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan trooped out of the House along with other members in protest against the refusal to remove the remark.

Yesterday, Chandy while replying to a notice for an adjournment motion moved by a CPI member on alleged corruption in PWD Ministry, had said that CPI was the first political party in the country accused of "selling a parliament seat."

The payment seat scandal was related to Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, where CPI had fielded a non-party candidate Bennet Abraham after allegedly taking funds from him.

A commission set up by the party had recommended disciplinary action against three senior party functionaries after finding them responsible for the incident.

A case is also pending in connection with this in the Lok Ayukta here.