Kerala CM Oommen Chandy presents budget amid protests

Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy presented the 2016-17 budget in the state Assembly on Friday amid protests by opposition CPI(M)-led LDF demanding his resignation over solar and bar bribery scams.

Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy presented the 2016-17 budget in the state Assembly on Friday amid protests by opposition CPI(M)-led LDF demanding his resignation over solar and bar bribery scams.

Protesters burn an effigy of chief minister Oommen Chandy while demanding his resignation over the solar scam, at government secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram.(PTI File Photo)

It was after a 29-year gap that the Kerala Assembly saw a chief minister presenting the state budget. Chandy is the fourth chief minister of the state to present the budget.

Chandy, who took over the finance portfolio after former finance minister and Kerala Congress (M) leader KM Mani quit in November 2015 after a scathing remark by the high court on the bar bribery case, presented the budget even as the opposition raised slogans demanding his resignation.

The LDF members, holding banners and placards, raised slogans for a while even as an unfazed Chandy continued with the presenting the budget.

After slogan-shouting, the LDF members marched out of the House and boycotted the budget presentation.

Chandy, in his budget speech, highlighted the various achievements -- including the Kochi Metro, Kannur airport projects, during his five-year rule.

The House had witnessed unprecedented violence on March 13, 2015 when LDF disrupted the budget presentation by Mani, demanding his resignation.