Role reversal as 13th Assembly resumes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The issues are the same. But, there is a role reversal.  When the first session of the 13th Kerala Assembly resumes on Friday, the floor will witness war of words on the same issues that had rocked the previous government. Munnar land row, self-financing college admission row, allegations against some of the UDF ministers, lottery issue and Vigilance inquiry against former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan’s son are going to be the most-debated topics in the 14-day session of the Assembly. The opposition, led by VS, is all set to give a tough time for the treasury benches by focussing on the self-financing college admission row. In all probability, the government will sweat it out to explain the absence of merit seats in 11 medical colleges where 50 per cent seats had been reserved for meritorious students under the government quota. Sabotaging of merit in the PG admissions will also be raised as an issue. Sources in the LDF said its leaders would raise allegations against Ministers K M  Mani and P J Joseph for their alleged role in diluting norms to suit to the interests of Christian managements. Munnar issue, which is a pet topic of Achuthanandan, is also likely to hog the limelight as the new Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has also expressed his love for the topic and initiated steps to solve the issue of large-scale land encroachment. The government can take the full credit of solving Moolampally and Chengara land issues which had troubled the VS government. The notification for CBI inquiry into the lottery deal will be another point that is going to be raised by the treasury benches. Though VS had demanded a CBI inquiry during his tenure, the preliminary work of notifying the cases had not been done by him. The strategy of the UDF, according to sources, will be to target Opposition Leader Achuthanandan. The controversial land allotment to his relative and the allegations against his son - both are subjects of Vigilance probes now - will be effectively utilised by the treasury benches. It remains to be seen how the CPM, which has so far kept silence on the issue, will defend Achuthanandan.

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