Solar scam: Central forces arrive in Kerala as govt gears up for LDF siege

Thiruvananthapuram: Central forces today arrived in Kerala to assist the police in the wake of Left Democratic Front opposition threatening to lay an indefinite siege of the secretariat from Monday, demanding resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar panel scam. Out of 20 companies of forces sought by the state, the first batch of Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel reached this morning and one company of BSF in politically volatile Kannur district, as the CPI(M) and its LDF allies started galvanising about one lakh volunteers to be dispatched for the protest. [caption id=“attachment_1024867” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Oommen Chandy. AFP[/caption] According to sources, more contingents of Central forces would reach the state in the next two days to maintain law and order during the siege, especially since it has been planned during the run-up to Independence Day. The Central Stadium adjacent to the secretariat complex is the main venue of Independence Day celebrations, to be attended by the Governor, Chief Minister and other dignitaries. “Without fail, the volunteers will reach the state capital at the right time as planned whatever be the preparations made by the government to deal with the protest,” CPI(M) Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan told reporters. Seeking to pre-empt the risk posed by such a large gathering of protesters in the city, police have instructed hoteliers and lodgers not to accommodate the volunteers pouring in from all the 14 districts in the state. Educational institutions in the capital will remain closed for two days from Monday in view of traffic disruptions and other inconvenience likely to be caused by the protest. As the lead partner of the LDF, CPI(M) alone would be mobilising about 75,000 volunteers through its nearly 25,000 branch committees in the state, and the CPI another 25,000 through its grass-root units. PTI