Sex scam: Kerala opposition on back foot, halts week-long attack on CM Oommen Chandy

KOCHI: A sex scandal involving a legislator from the Opposition Left Democratic Front halted a week-long attack on Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The Opposition found itself on the backfoot after a woman lodged a sexual harassment complaint with the police against former transport minister Jose Thettayil. The woman is said to have submitted several video clippings with the Alwaye (near Kochi) police to prove her charges.

Trouble began in the assembly after Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan tried to drag the Chief Minister's family matters into his speech.

Even as Achuthanandan was speaking, speaker G Karthikeyan switched off the veteran leader's microphone and asked him to desist from making such personal attacks on the chief minister.

Earlier, Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator EP Jayarajan moved an adjournment motion alleging the United Democratic Front government headed by Chandy was trying to taint the image of a woman who had filed sexual harassment charges against a call-centre executive with the CM's office.

However, the speaker denied permission for the motion.With protests inside the state assembly refusing to abate, the speaker decided to suspend sittings for two weeks until July 8. Thettayil later told television channels that he knew the woman and her family, but her complaint was 'baseless' and part of a political conspiracy.