Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on Wednesday criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for accusing the UDF of assaulting watch and ward staff during the recent Assembly disruption, triggering a sharp exchange in the House that later spiralled into personal and political barbs over photographs and past associations.

Speaking in the House, Satheesan said the Chief Minister should refrain from making inaccurate statements and objected to Vijayan’s use of the term 'koprayam' (antics) to describe the Opposition’s actions. He also took strong exception to what he termed insulting remarks by ministers against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, saying such comments were unacceptable.

Speaker AN Shamseer, however, maintained that one of the UDF MLAs had poked a Watch and Ward staff member with the rod of a banner during the protest. Escalating the exchange, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs MB Rajesh accused the Leader of Opposition of defending such behaviour in the Assembly and of adopting double standards. Rajesh said there was nothing unparliamentary about stating that Priyanka Gandhi had tea with the Prime Minister after the passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill. Meanwhile, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P Rajeeve once again referred to the photograph of Sonia Gandhi with Sabarimala gold scam accused Unnikrishnan Potty to provoke the Opposition.

Satheesan quickly responded by recalling the 2015 Assembly ruckus case, pointing out that those involved in earlier disruptions were now questioning the Opposition. “The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is speaking about members climbing onto the dais while sitting with people who threw the Speaker’s computer on the floor. This is a double standard,” he said.

Taking the exchange further, Satheesan said Minister MB Rajesh shared personal ties with BJP leader Anurag Thakur, whom he accused of calling for genocide after the Delhi riots. He also referred to a photograph of the Chief Minister with Unnikrishnan Potty, asking whether the Opposition had ever raised objections over such associations.

Rajesh hit back, saying photographs and personal connections should not be conflated with political positions. “I have photographs with you as well, despite you bending over backwards before a portrait of MS Golwalkar,” he said, adding that personal associations and political differences must be seen separately. Meanwhile, Education Minister V Sivankutty said that the LoP had total ‘contempt’ for everyone. The Opposition later walked out in protest.

The opposition MLAs eventually trooped into the well of the House holding up photographs of Potty with the CM and former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. They also held up a banner carrying images of Potty and Surendran before the Speaker's dais and shouted slogans against the government as the question hour continued. The ruling front MLAs also held up photos of Potty with Sonia Gandhi and UDF convener Adoor Prakash. The opposition then walked out of the House around 9.48 am.

The heated exchanges followed a ruckus in the Assembly on Tuesday after Opposition Leader VD Satheesan declared non-cooperation. Chaotic scenes unfolded as UDF MLAs moved to the well of the House, raised slogans and stretched a banner across the Speaker’s line of sight while protesting over the Sabarimala issue. Despite the tight deployment of Watch and Ward staff, Congress MLA Anvar Sadath attempted to climb onto the Speaker’s dais, prompting Speaker AN Shamseer to briefly suspend proceedings. Tensions flared again after the House resumed, with Sadath later managing to get onto the Speaker’s platform before being restrained by security staff. Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan also attempted to climb the dais, leading to another suspension of proceedings.