Amidst pandemonium,Kerala Assembly today passed the Finance Bill-2013 without discussion and adjourned sine die as the CPI-M led LDF Opposition continued to disrupt proceedings demanding resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar panel scam issue. Countering the the Opposition allegations,a belligerent Chandy said the allegation against him over the issue was part of LDF's political conspiracy and Congress-led UDF would not succumb to their pressure. Armed with yesterday's statement of Sreedharan Nair,the complainant in the solar panel case,that he had met Chandy to discuss the solar project along with solar scam accused Saritha Nair,LDF Opposition intensifed its stir for the resignation of Chandy. Seeking notice for an adjournment motion on police lathicharge on agitating Left party youth activities yesterday,C Divakaran (CPI) said,"There is no other way for Chandy than to quit,if he has any iota of political morality". Strongly refuting the Opposition charges,Chandy maintained that he met Sreedharan Nair as a representative of quarry owners association and had 'not discussed solar project'. Sreedharan had told Malayalam TV channels yesterday that he had met Chandy on July 9 last year and discussed the project when Saritha was present. The solar scam pertains to cheating several persons by crores of Rupees by Saritha Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions. It took a political turn with the arrest of one of Chandy's close personal aides,who has alleged links with the accused. Two other employees in his personal staff have also been removed in connection with the scam. Chandy also brought to the notice of the House a legal notice issued by Sreedharan Nair to the company which mentioned that the 'Nair entered into agreement with Team Solar of Saritha Nair and exchanged Rs 40 lakh way back in June itself'. Chandy also maintained that he had not met Saritha Nair. Making a statement on the issue,Finance and Law Minister K M Mani said it has been established that Sreedharan Nair had made the agreement for solar panel with Saritha Nair even before he met Chandy on July 9 last year. The ruling United Democratic Front was united on the issue to fight the challenge raised by Opposition and would not succumb to political conspiracy,Chandy said. When the House met after one-hour break,Opposition continued their protest and rushed to the well of the House,expressing dissatisfaction with the reply of Chief Minister. With slogan shouting of Opposition members continued,Speaker G Karthikeyan took up other business and adjourned the house sine die after Chief Minister moved a resolution in this regard. Chandy in the resolution said though the House was scheduled to meet till July 18,it has become difficult to continue the session with Opposition protest and asked the Speaker to adjourn indefinitely. Meanwhile,the state capital witnessed unprecedented protest of youth organisations of opposition parties demanding the resignation of Chandy. Police lathicharged and burst teargas shells to disperse the agitators in front of the state secretariat. Police also arrested and removed a number of activists who tried to enter the high-security secretariat complex here.
