CM Vijayan flays BJP for not making K Suresh Pro Tem Speaker

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday flayed the BJP-led NDA for breaking parliamentary conventions by not appointing the senior most member Kodikunnil Suresh as the Pro Tem Speaker.

Suresh retained his Mavelikara Lok Sabha seat, that is reserved for those from the Scheduled Caste community.

“The BJP has to explain why Kodikunnil Suresh who is into his eighth term in the Lok Sabha and also the senior most, was not given the post of Pro Tem Speaker. An answer to this has to be given to those who have expressed doubts if the upper caste appeasement politics of the Sangh Parivar has come into play,” said CM Vijayan.

“This clearly shows the scant respect the BJP gives to conventions and its arrogance. There has been no Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha in the previous term of Parliament. All this clearly shows how the BJP looks upon democracy,” said CM Vijayan.

Even as CM Vijayan flayed the BJP, he came under fire from a few quarters as state Minister, OR Kelu from the CPI(M), who is a tribal leader from Wayanad, was not given the portfolios which the outgoing Minister K Radhakrishnan had.

Radhakrishnan belongs to the SC community and was the state SC/ST, Devasoms and Parliamentary Affairs Minister. He resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha, but Kelu was given only the SC/ST portfolio.

The reason being given for this is Kelu’s inexperience.

Tribal leader M Geethanandan said not giving all of Radhakrishnan’s portfolios to Kelu clearly shows that there is an element of appeasing the upper caste Hindus.

Kerala BJP President, K Surendran said just because Kelu belongs to the tribal community he has been sidelined and this clearly shows the attitude of the CPI(M).

Meanwhile the social media took up the issue in a different way and asked while Kelu is a two-time legislator, how come PA Mohammed Riyas , a first time legislator was given the plum portfolio of Public Works Department?

Incidentally, Riyas is the son-in-law of CM Vijayan.