Thiruvananthapuram: With just a week left for the LDF’s indefinite siege of Cliff House, the official residence of the Chief Minister, the police has begun a preliminary round of discussions on the security arrangements to ensure the free movement of the Chief Minister and nine other ministers living within the Cliff House compound, as well as residents of the locality.
The LDF’s siege demanding Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s resignation will begin on December 9. On the first day of the stir, the Chief Minister would be out of station as the mass contact prorgamme of Idukki district is scheduled for that day at Thodupuzha.
The police is pinning its hopes on the fact that the LDF activists will only target the main road leading to Cliff House from the Devaswom Board junction, while the other roads through Nanthencode and YMR junction would be kept open. The number of LDF cadres would also be as high as it was during the Secretariat siege in August.
“We are yet to finalise the security scheme for the siege as a clear picture of the LDF's strategy is yet to emerge. However, we feel that the stir wouldn’t be as serious as the Secretariat siege,” said a senior police officer.
CPM sources also said that unlike the Secretariat siege, the Cliff House agitation would be more disciplined. Party workers from various parts of the state would be brought to in batch by batch.
The police plans to take control of all roads leading to Cliff House by this week end itself. The agitation would be blocked near the Devaswom Board junction using barricades. Any plans to bring in para military forces are not under the consideration of the police now.
“At least, 2,000 cops would be required for the security arrangements. The security of the Chief Minister and other ministers would be also beefed up,” said police sources.
Apart from the Chief Minister and other Ministers, hundreds of residents including top banking officials, students, government employees, businessmen, traders and several others live around Cliff House.
Hence the chance of public ire against the stir is very high. The movement of officials to the Devaswom Board office located nearby is of utmost importance now, as the Sabarimala season is on.
Meanwhile, the police is also planning to sent a letter to the LDF leaders urging them to ensure that the CM’s movement is not hampered.
Though the Kerala State Human Rights Commission had directed the LDF to keep off from the siege, the party leaders have not yet responded to it.
