Thiruvananthapuram

The Supreme Court today restrained the 7-member panel headed by Justice Rajan from opening the sixth vault of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

A bench comprising Justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik directed that the sixth cellar which was to be opened today should not be opened till July 14, the next date of hearing.

The court has also invited suggestions from the Kerala government as well as from the Travancore royal family about the safety of the treasure.

Treasures worth Rs 1 lakh crore has been recovered from five vaults which have been opened till now.

Earlier, the apex court had restrained the members of the panel from talking to media and had also invited names for appointing a curator who will decide how and where to keep the treasure.

The evaluation process and inventory preparations of the treasure are being videographed under the direction of apex court.

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Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said the Government would provide tight security for the treasure trove recovered in recent days from the Sree Padmanabha temple here, valued at around Rs 90,000 crore, considering it as the wealth of the temple.

The treasures would be kept in the temple itself, considering them as the symbol of pride, culture and archaeological marvel of the state, he told mediapersons after a high-level meeting of officials here.

"It is the responsibility of the state to provide security of the temple for which all the expenditure will be borne by the Government," he said.

The meeting was attended by Devaswom Minister V S Shivkumar, Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar, Director General of Police (DGP) Jacob Punnoose and other top officials.

However, a permanent security system would be provided only after receiving consent from the Supreme Court, he said.

The security would be provided without causing any inconvenience to pilgrims and customs of the temple.

A 24-hour mobile patrolling around the temple would be part of the security for which a special cell was opened at the Fort Police Station here. A new office for this purpose would be arranged nearer the temple after finding a suitable place soon, he added.

All the arrangements would be done after consulting the royal family and the priest of the temple, Mr Chandy said.

Two platoons of armed police personnel were deployed for its security. The temple emerged as one of the richest Hindu temples in the world after recovery of a treasure trove of gold, diamonds and precious stones, unofficially estimated at Rs 90,000 crore.

Six cells of the temple, which is being run by a trust of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore, were being opened one by one, as per a recent Supreme Court order. The discovery of the hidden treasure forced the government to put elaborate security in place at the temple.

Earlier, Mr Punnoose convened a meeting of top police officials to finalise the security arrangements.

After having an on-the-spot assessment of the security arrangements, two platoons of the Special Armed Police personnel were provided for outside security of the temple.

A three-tier security measures would be provided to prevent any robbery attempt in the temple situated in the heart of the city.

There would be round-the-clock security around the temple and CCTV cameras would be installed.

The inspection at the temple began after Supreme Court appointed a seven-member panel to enter and assess the value of the objects stored in its cellars. A local lawyer filed a court petition saying that the current controllers were incapable of protecting the wealth.

The vaults were opened in the presence of the panel and observers, who included High Court judges, temple officials, archaeology authorities, petitioner Sundar Rajan and a representative of the head of the royal family.

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Opposition Leader in Kerala Assembly and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan underwent a CT Coronary Angiography at the SUT Hospital here today.

Cardiologist C Bharath Chandran, who attended on him, said, "The usual age-related blocks are not seen. His blood vessels are as clear as that of a very young man."

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Several welfare measures have been initiated for the rehabilitation of unwed mothers in various tribal settlements in north Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said.

Briefing newspersons on the Cabinet Meetings, he said about 1,500 unwed mothers, who had been sexually exploited when they were minors, would be rehabilitated with immediate effect.

Each of them would be allotted one acre of land in their respective tribal areas, he said.

A monthly pension of Rs 1,000 would also be given to each victim against Rs 300 paid by the previous government.

The govenment would also hasten taking stern action against those who committed any form of crime against tribal women, he said.

In this regard, the police would ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said

Mr Chandy said houses would be constructed for their rehabilitation using the Budget allocated for the Scheduled Castes Department.

The government would also prepare an action plan for providing education and creating employment opportunities for these women and their children, he added.

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The Oommen Chandy Ministry in Kerala was expanded today with the induction of 13 more ministers, taking the total strength to 20.

Governor R S Gavai administered the oath of office and secrecy to nine members from the Congress, three from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and one from the Kerala Congress(M).

Those who took oath of office and secrecy were Aryadan Mohammed, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, A P Anil Kumar, P K Jayalakshmi, K Babu, K C Joseph, Adoor Prakash, C N Balakrishnan, V S Sivakumar (all Congress), M K Muneer, V K Ibrahim Kunju, Abdu Rab (all IUML) and P J Joseph (Kerala congress-M).

On May 18, six ministers, all leaders of the coalition partners in the United Democratic Front (UDF)-- K M Mani, P K Kunhalikutty, T M Jacob, P K Mohanan, Ganeshkumar and Shibu Baby John -- took oath.

In the 140-member Assembly, the UDF enjoys only a slender majority with 72 members as against 68 by the Marxist-led Left Democratic Front(LDF).

A large number of MLAs, former ministers, bureaucrats and relatives of the ministers attended the proceedings.

Following are the profile of ministers who were sworn-in today:

Aryadan Mohammed: Representing Nilabur constituency in Malappuram district of Kerala for the eighth time, 65-year-old Aryadan Mohammed is having his fourth innings as a minister in the state.

He was a minister in governments headed by E K Nayanar, A K Antony and Oommen Chandy in 1980, 1985 and 2005 respectively.

He entered politics through students wing of the party, held various party positions, including the Kozhikode District Committee President from 1956 to 1969 and Malappuram DCC President after formation of the district in 1969.

He is also at the helm of various trade unions in the state. Known as an able Parliamentarian, presence of this master strategist would be an asset for the UDF government which has only a slender majority in the 140-member house.

Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan: A senior Congress leader, this is the fourth time that Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan is being inducted in the UDF government as a minister.

Born to K P Parameswaran Pillai and M G Gourikutty on December 27, 1949 at Thiruvanchoor, Kottayam, he entered politics as a student activist and served as the chairman of Kerala University Union in 1973 and state president of KSU in 1974.

He had also served as state General Secretary and President of Youth Congress before becoming the General Secretary of KPCC in 1984. He was also a member of the AICC and was associated with several trade unions.

He represented Adoor constituency in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006. This time, he represents Kottayam constituency. He was the Minister for Water Resources, Forest, Health and Parliamentary affairs.

A P Anil Kumar: Senior Congress leader A P Anil Kumar is having his second stint as an administrator in the state.

Born on March 15, 1965 to A P Balan and K L Devaki in Malappuram, he entered into political arena through pro-Congress Kerala Students Union. He was Welfare Minister in the previous Congress-led United Democratic Front government in 2001.

Mr Kumar, who won the Wandoor seat in the April 13 polls by a huge 28,919 margin, represented the constituency in 2001 and 2006 too.

He was the Youth Congress General Secretary in the state. Prior to that he also held various posts such as KSU Malappuram district Secretary, P T M College Union Chairman and the YC district vice president.

P K Jayalakshmi: The lone woman legislator in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) inducted into Oommen Chandy Cabinet as a minister is the first representative of tribals in the state government.

Hailing from Kurichia community, which fought the erstwhile British colonial masters in 18th century under the stewardship of Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja, she won the Mananthawadi seat (Reserved) in the hilly Wayanad district with a margin of 12,734 votes in the April 13 assembly polls.

The 29-year-old Jayalakshmi also has the distinction of being the youngest in the cabinet. An archer par excellence, she started her political career through Kerala Students Union, affiliated to the

Congress. A graduate in communicative English, she was twice elected a board member of the Thavinjal grama panchayat.

A nominee of All India Congress committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, she also had the backing of Congress High Command, particularly party supremo Sonia Gandhi, who reportedly insisted for a ministerial berth for her.

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Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will leave for New Delhi tomorrow to hold discussions with the party leadership on the list of Ministers from the Congress.

Briefing newspersons here after the first meeting of the Cabinet,he said he would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi tomorrow in New Delhi.

The party High Command would decide the Ministers from the Congress party, he said. However, a decision on joining the Government by state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala would be decided by Mr Chennithala himself, he added.

It is expected that nine more Ministers would be in the Government from the Congress party.

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Senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy will be sworn in tomorrow as the new Chief Minister of Kerala.

Along with Mr Chandy, the others who will be sworn in include Mr P K Kunhalikutty (IUML), Mr K M Mani (KC-M), Mr K P Mohanan (SJD), Mr K B Ganesh Kumar (KC-B), Mr T M Jacob (KC-J) and Mr Shibu Baby John (RSP-B).

The swearing-in ceremony will be held in the afternoon at Raj Bhavan.

UDF Convenor P P Thankachan told reporters here today a consensus had been reached in the UDF regarding the Ministry formation.

The Congress will get nine Ministerial berths apart from the Chief Minister's post, he said.

While the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will get four berths, the KC (M) get two Ministers in the new Cabinet.

All the three single-member parties -- SJD, KC (J), KC (B) and RSP (B) - are also included in the Ministry, he said.

Mr Thankachan also said the portfolios had been decided. But he did not divulge the details.

The Congress had finalised the list of members who should be given Ministerial posts and it would be sent to the High Command for approval.

The new government will have a 20-member cabinet.

The UDF had won 72 seats in the 140-member house while the Marxist-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) got 68 seats.

For the UDF, the Congress has got 38 seats, IUML 20, Kerala Congress(M) 9, Scialist Janata 2 Kerala Congress(B)1, Kerala Congress (Jacob) 1 and Revolutionary Socialist Party(B) 1.

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Veteran Congress leader Oommen Chandy is all set to become the next Chief Minister of Kerala with the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) unanimously electing him its leader at a meeting here today.

Kerala Pradesh Congress President (KPCC) Ramesh Chinnithala told newspersons that Mr Chandy was elected leader of the CLP and the decision was approved by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

"The Congress Legislature Party meeting has unanimously elected Mr Chandy as the leader," he said, here after the meeting.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the 38 Congress legislators, which Congress General Secretary in charge of Kerala Madhusudhanan Mistry and General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai also attended as the party's central observers.

Earlier, a meeting of the senior party leaders had unanimously decided that Mr Chandy should lead the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Ministry.

After getting elected as the CLP leader, Mr Chandy said the people's confidence would be met. The new government would strive for the state's development, which had been lagging for the last five years under Left rule.

"Though we had not got majority as expected, it is the people's mandate and our government would see that the aspirations of the people are met," he said.

Mr Chennithala said a change of government was what people wanted. The new government would be committed to development of the state and the welfare of the people, he said.

Though Mr Chennnithala had earlier indicated that he was interested in the top job, he opted out stating that he was not contesting for the post of Legislature Party leader.

"Mr Chandy will lead the UDF. I will not join the Government and continue as the KPCC Chief to protect the interest of the party," he said.

Senior CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan yesterday resigned as Chief Minister, accepting the verdict of the April 13 assembly polls which gave a slender majority of 72 seats to UDF in the 140-member house.

The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 68 seats. Counting of votes had been taken up on May 13.

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Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today submitted his resignation to Governor R S Gavai, accepting the verdict of the assembly polls which gave a slender majority of 72 seats to UDF in the 140-member house.

He reached the Raj Bhavan by forenoon and handed over his resignation, official sources said.

The ruling Marxist-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) got 68 seats in the elections.

Later, Mr Achuthanandan told newspersons that the Governor had accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as a caretaker Chief Minister till a new government assumes office.

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Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan will lead a hunger strike here tomorrow, demanding that India should adopt a stand in favour of the ban of the pesticide endosulfan at the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants which begins in Geneva.

The state government and various non-government organisations in the State will organise protests across the state and observe Anti-Endosulfan Day tomorrow, the day on which the Stockholm convention commences.

Social activists, environmentalists, elected representatives, politicians, cultural leaders and victims would stage an agitation at the Martyrs' Column here.

Though the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had extended its support to the demand for ban on endosulfan, opposition leader Oommen Chandy said today that he would not be participating in the strike. He accused Mr Achuthanandan and the ruling Left Democratic Front of politicising the issue.

Instead of participating in the agitation, Mr Chandy and state Congress President Ramesh Chennithala would be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for demanding a ban on the killer pesticide.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants.

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Mr B V Sekhar, vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kerala unit, died at in Kochi today after a brief illness.

He was 52. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.

Sekhar, who had contested in the recent elections to the State Assembly from Thiruvananthapuram constituency, was admitted to the Amirta Institute of Medical Sciences following liver-related ailments on April 11. His condition worsened this morning and he died, hospital sources said.

BJP national president Nitin Gadkari condoled the demise of Mr Sekhar and described it as an irreplaceable loss to his family and to the party.

"Sekhar had a long and distinguished association with the party. An advocate by profession, Sekhar joined the party in 1984 and worked tirelessly to expand its mass base in the state," Mr Gadkari said.

Mr Gadkari added that the contributions made by Sekhar in spreading the message of the party to people at large had strengthened the party cadre in Kerala and given it a mass following among people.

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Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi today said that a comprehensive master plan for the development of Thiruvananthapuram city would be implemented if the Congress-led UDF is voted to power in the April 13 Assembly elections.

Addressing a UDF election campaign meeting here, he said the city development master plan, aiming for the next 25 years, would be implemented with the support of UPA as in the case of New Delhi.

He said the plan would help the capital city to figure among other developed cities in the country.

Pointing out that the spirit of the people of Kerala had built the cities of West Asia, he said. "Without their sweat, Dubai could not have been built. The CPI(M) has trapped the spirit that created such cities," he alleged.

Charging that the CPI(M) was unleashing violence against its political opponents, he said Kerala youths have been widely misused for political violence by the CPI(M).

"The unemployed youths in Kerala (estimated at about 4.3 million) used to go to West Asia or other Indian states for jobs as the state failed to create employment for them. Unfortunately, most of them now join as CPI(M) workers," he alleged.

Highlighting various schemes implemented by the UPA Government, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the farm loan waiver scheme, he said the UPA believed in inclusive growth.

"Mere industrialisation is not good enough for eradication of poverty. The benefits of industrialisation should reach the people. Money derived from industrialisation should go into healthcare, education and youth training programmes," he exhorted.

On young faces in the party, he said, "Youth Congress workers had impressive credentials. We are a party of the young and experienced leaders. Our senior leaders have vision and tremendous experience."

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in the city today for a day's visit to Kerala for campaigning for candidates of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates in the Assembly elections in the state.

During his day-long visit, he will address two public meetings at Kottayam and Kollam, and then he leave for Delhi from Thiruvananthapuram.

The Prime Minister, who arrived at the naval airstrip here, was due to leave for Kottayam by helicopter, where he will address an election meeting at Nehru Stadium before flying to Kollam.

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Firebrand student leader Sindhu Joy, National Vice-President of the Students Federation of India (SFI), today resigned from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in protest against alleged "neglect by the party."

She is likely to campaign for Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy against whom she had contested the previous Assembly elections in Puthupalli constituency under the banner of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Ms Joy said she submitted her resignation to the CPI(M) Thiruvananthapuram district committe as she was totally ignored by the party during the past three years. She also resigned from the National Vice-Presidentship of SFI.

She is a former president of the Kerala unit of the SFI.

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Amid protests from grassroots workers and last-minute intervention by the party polit burueau, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala today allotted a seat to Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan to contest the April 13 elections to the State Legislative Assembly.

State CPI(M) Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan told newspersons here that Mr Achuthanandan would contest the Assembly elections from Malampuzha constituency.

The CPI(M) State Committee's reported decision on March 16 to deny a party ticket to Mr Achuthanandan had triggered widespread protests in Kerala, forcing the party's central leadership to hold a polit bureau meeting in New Delhi this morning to discuss the crucial issue.

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Welcoming the local vigilance court's permission for further probe into the palmolein case of the early 1990s, Opposition Leader in Kerala Assembly and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy today said he would legally and morally fight the recent attempts by the Left Democratic Front (LDF)Government to "implicate" him in the case.

"I will fully cooperate with the investigation," he told reporters here soon after the vigilance court granted permission for reinvestigation of the case.

"If made an accused in the case, I have a clear stand, which has been communicated to the Congress High Command," he said. However, he did not elaborate on this.

It was seen as a political move on the part of the LDF to involve Mr Chandy, who was the Finance Minister in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Ministry, headed by late K Karunakaran, which cleared the deal.

"The case is about 20 years old and I was not named anywhere as an accused till date. Now every one knows why my name is being dragged into it," he said and added that the CPI(M) should explain to the people why his name was being dragged into the case after 20 years.

Mr Chandy said he would cooperate with the vigilance probe as he was a law abiding citizen.

The name of Mr Chandy came up in connection with a discharge petition filed by then Food Minister T H Mustaffa, the second accused in the case.

In his petition, Mr Mustafa held that it was fair to have spared Mr Chandy in the case, but the same yardstick of fairness had not been applied in his case.

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A local vigilance court today granted permission for further probe into the palmolein import case that had rocked the state in the early 1990s.

Vigilance Special Court Judge V Jagadeesh asked the investigating agency to file a report within three months.

The case, relating to the alleged irregularities in the import of palmolein in 1992, came up before the court following a petition filed last week by the government stating that the investigative agency proposed to conduct further probe in the matter regarding the involvement of other persons.

It was seen as a political move on the part of the Left Democratic Front Government to involve Congress leader Oommen Chandy, who was the Finance Minister in the UDF Ministry, headed by late K Karunakaran, which cleared the deal.

Former Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas, whose appointment was struck down by the Supreme Court, is also an accused in the case.

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Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has asserted that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will take an appropriate decision on his candidature to the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.

"I hope that my party will take an appropriate decision on the issue," the Chief Minister said in an interview with a television channel here yesterday.

Meanwhile, State CPI(M) leadership described Mr Achuthanandan as one of the best Chief Ministers in the country.

The comment of the CPI(M) came following speculation about whether the Chief Minister would get the nod of his party to contest the coming assembly polls.

CPI(M) Deputy General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy in New Delhi yesterday had said that Mr Achuthanandan was one of the best Chief Ministers and an asset for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala.

However, a final decision on the issue would be taken by the CPI(M) soon, sources said.

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The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) today began its two-day meeting here to evolve guidelines to select party candidates for the April 13 elections to the state assembly.

Defence Minister A K Antony, Union Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran, Opposition Leader in Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy and Pradesh Congress President Ramesh Chennithala were among senior leaders of the party who participated in the meeting at the KPCC headquarters Indira Bhavan.

Though a final decision on the candidates was unlikely to be arrived at today itself, the meeting is likely to reach a consensus on the top leaders who should contest the assembly polls.

It was learnt that the candidatures of Mr Chandy and Mr Chennithala were discussed at the meeting.

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Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani today said his party was firm in its demand for 22 seats from the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) as its strength had increased following the merger of Kerala Congress factions led by P J Joseph and P C George.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Kesari Memorial Trust and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, Mr Mani said his party's demand for 22 seats was justifiable.

In the last election, the party had contested 11 seats, the KC(J) six and the George faction one seat.

Mr Mani alleged that the LDF government had failed on all fronts and said there was corruption and complete breakdown of the administration during its five-year tenure.

"Generally there is a mutual understanding between the Finance Department and the Planning Board. In the Budget presented by the State Finance Minister, Department and the Board were totally at logger heads. This will affect the state's development," he alleged.

To a question whether he would contest the elections, Mr Mani said, "I have been an MLA from the constituency for the past 11 years and if the people so decide, then I will contest. However, the final picture is not clear. Things will be clear only after the election committee meeting of the party."

To another question whether the sitting MLAs will be provided seats, he said that would also be decided at the election committee meeting.

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Amid suspense over his candidature for the April 13 Assembly polls in Kerala, Chief Minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader V S Achuthanandan today said it was up to those concerned to make it clear whether he will be contesting the elections or not.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Achuthanandan parried questions on the delay on the part of the CPI(M) to take a decision on the contentious issue of who would lead the party in Kerala.

He also evaded a direct reply when it was pointed out that the CPI(M) had already made it clear that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee would lead the party in West Bengal.

The party central leadership had left it to the state leadership to take an appropriate deicision. In the state committee, his arch foe, state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, enjoys a brute majority.

However, the CPI(M) state committee, which met here yesterday, decided to seek party district committees' opinion on the crucial question whether Mr Achuthanandan should be given a seat.

In the 2006 Assembly elections, Mr Achuthanandan was denied a seat but the central leadership was forced to revoke its decision after protests broke out in various parts of the state. Anticipating trouble this time also, Mr Achuthanandan has already made it clear that he is all set to lead the Left Democratic Front (LDF) once again if the party entrusted him with the responsibility.

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Kerala’s self-help initiative "Kudumbashree", which has been acclaimed for the economic and social empowerment of women in the state, has been invited to a conference of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) to be held in Cardiff, United Kingdom, from March 15 to 18.

This is the first time that a self-help group from Kerala has been invited to a meeting of CLGF, a press release from the organisation said.

The Cardiff meet of CLGF is a prelude to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Perth, Australia, in October.

The theme of the CLGF meet in Cardiff, which is the capital of Wales, is "Energizing local economic situations—role of partners from affluent societies".

The release said that exchange of sound models and experiences of local self-government initiatives was the main aim of the Cardiff meet. As a component of Commonwealth, the ideas emerging from the CLGF meeting will help in determining the policies of local self-government institutions of the member-countries. The CHOGM Perth summit will consider the recommendations emerging from the Cardiff forum.

"We are inviting Kudumbashree as a model initiative that keeps women economically active," said CLGF Deputy Secretary General Lucy Clerk.

The Kudumbashree model would be presented at a Working Group session of the meet on March 16. The delegates of Kudumbashree have been invited to present a paper at the session on initiatives that create employment opportunities for women.

Kudumbashree, which has enrolled thousands of women across Kerala, is invited to the CLGF as a "highly successful model" in empowering women and economically supporting them through local self-governments, said Ms Clerk.

Biennial meets of CLGF provides a meaningful forum for local self- government ministers to exchange ideas and experiences. City mayors, heads of other civic bodies and officials and delegates from UNDP and developmental agencies will be attending the meeting.

Key topics like the role of self-government institutions in grass-root level economic growth and steps the national governments could take in this process would be discussed threadbare by the delegates. The conference would discuss and recommend practical initiatives and successful programmes in this vital area.

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark will lead the discussions. The four-day conference is conducted with the support of the Welsh assembly.

The invitation to Kudumbashree is significant at a time when the CLGF is increasingly focussing on the theme of "women as harbingers of change".

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The Opposition United Democractic Front (UDF) in Kerala today demanded a detailed inquiry into various corruption charges against Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's son.

Addressing a press conference here, UDF Convener P P Thankachan alleged that the Chief Minister's son V A Arun Kumar was facing serious corruption charges for his alleged links with lottery mafia, sandal mafia and Smart City deal.

Urging that the corruption charges against the Chief Minister's office allegedly by his own partymen should be probed, he said former CPM state committee member P Sasi had alleged in a letter to the party leadership that Mr Achuthanandan had tried to influence the judicial commission that probed the Alluvathukkal hooch tragedy when E K Nayanar was Chief Minister to implicate him (Sasi) in the case.

A senior advocate in the High Court K Ramkumar had also alleged that the Chief Minister had "mediators" in Delhi to deal with his cases, he claimed.

Alleging that Mr Achuthanandan’s stand against corruption was "hypocritical", he said the UDF would submit a memorandum to Governor R S Gavai to direct the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government to order an inquiry into these allegations.

Yesterday, the Chief Minister's speech after the Speaker announced the decision to adjourn the session, was against rules, he charged. The Speaker must expunge the speech from assembly records, he demanded.

The seat-sharing talks with partners for the coming elections would be held from March 8 to 12. A committee chaired by Congress leader M M Hassan had been authorised to formulate the Front’s election manifesto, he added.

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The Kerala Assembly today enacted a landmark legislation to constitute a Special Tribunal to realise compensation from the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Limited for the losses its plant at Plachimada had caused to the people of the region.

The Plachimada Coca Cola Victims Relief and Compensation Claims Special Tribunal Bill, 2011, was passed in the last day of the current session amid an uproar from the Opposition members who trooped into the well of the House against the denial of an adjournment motion targeted at Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government had taken the decision to introduce the Bill based on the recommendations of a High Power Committee, which conducted a study of the problems in the area.

The Tribunal will consist of three members under a chairperson. The tribunal will have powers to entertain applications for compensation restitution of property damaged, against the company, arising out of grievances due to violation of laws relating to environment, air and water pollution.

With regard to the power of the tribunal, it shall have the power to summon any person, call for documents and affidavits, issuing commissions for examination of witnesses and review or dismiss an application.

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The Kerala Assembly was adjourned sine die today after the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stalled the proceedings of the House to protest the denial of an adjournment motion targeted at Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan.

As soon as Speaker K Radhakrishnan denied permission for the adjournment motion, which sought to discuss the allegations that Mr Achuthandanan had tried to influence the judicial commission that looked into the Kalluvathukal Hooch Tragedy, the opposition members trooped into the well of the house, shouting slogans.

Mr Radhakrishnan said the adjournment motion was denied as the Opposition had moved one on the same subject earlier and House had discussed the issue twice.

Opposition Leader in the Assembly Oommen Chandy said the government had something to conceal if it was not ready for any discussion.

"The Assembly is the best place for discussing such an issue. The government has an opportunity to clarify its stand in the assembly," Mr Chandy said.

Though the Speaker asked the members to calm down and return to their respective seats, they were unrelenting.

Members from the Treasury Benches also raised their voice, which led to the disruption.

Amid noisy scenes, the Speaker rushed through the proceedings and important bills were passed, including the Plachimada Coca Cola Victim Relief and Compensation Claims Special Tribunal Bill and the Vote on Account.

The Chief Minister then informed the Speaker the House could be adjourned and the request was carried out.

The Opposition members then walked out of the House raising slogans and undertook a sit-in in front of the Assembly.

Later, Mr Achuthandan said his government had come up with one of the best Budgets. About 70 lakh of the people would now get rice at Rs 2 a kg, he said and added important blls were also passed during the session.

He also stated that all the allgations were raised as the Opposition feared that some more people from their side would land up in jail following Former Energy Minister R Balakrishna Pillai who was convicted in the Edamalayar Case.

They fear that some top leaders would also land up in jail related to palmolein case, he claimed.

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