The Thiruvananthapuram corporation council meeting on Saturday ended abruptly after UDF and LDF members staged a walkout. UDF councillors protested against the stray dog menace, while LDF members alleged that the mayor denied them a chance to raise public issues. The session saw many heated exchanges and loud protests.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The corporation council meeting held here on Saturday witnessed stormy sessions and was marred by protest with the UDF and the LDF staging walkout. The UDF members staged a walkout in protest against the civic body's failure to address the stray dog menace and LDF members walked out alleging attempts by the mayor denying the opposition an opportunity to raise public issues ending the 15th council meeting since the BJP-led administration assumed office, abruptly on Saturday.
The meeting witnessed multiple confrontations and kicked off with a warm welcome by the BJP members for Vazhottukonam ward councillor R Sugathan. The council session turned immediately stormy after the BJP councillors demanded action against Thrikannapuram councillor Ajin S, who is facing a vigilance probe over bribery allegations. They raised slogans and displayed placards seeking his removal.
Raising the stray dog issue, UDF parliamentary party leader K S Sabarinathan alleged that the corporation did not have even basic data on the number of dogs captured and sterilised.
Despite spending lakhs of rupees, the civic body had failed to make any tangible progress in tackling the menace, he said. Councillor Sudheer Khan alleged that Mayor V V Rajesh had failed to take steps to capture stray dogs in the Vizhinjam ward. Several opposition councillors also raised the similar complaint triggering heated exchanges.
Though Health Standing Committee chairman M R Gopan responded, UDF members eventually walked out in protest. During the council session, the mayor asked councillors to identify available government-owned land in their respective wards for setting up stray dog shelters.
Meanwhile, the LDF members entered the well of the council hall alleging that ruling front members were resorting to personal attacks against opposition councillors and their parliamentary party leader.
They later boycotted the meeting and staged a dharna in front of the corporation office. LDF councillor R P Shivaji criticised the BJP administration for failing to announce development projects even as its first year in office. The mayor said the administration was not interested in announcing projects merely to waste money.