Members of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) march in relation with Kerala Budget issue in Kochi on Saturday. (Press Trust of India)
The dawn to dusk hartal called by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front or LDF to protest against the violence in the Kerala Assembly on budget presentation day hit normal life today but was by and large peaceful, except for some stray incidents of stone pelting.
While Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the hartal was organised as a cover up to hide yet another failure of the Opposition to take on the ruling front, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan thanked the people for making the hartal a "huge success".
Public transport, including Kerala State Road Transport Corporation services and private buses, auto rickshaws and taxis remained off the roads in most places throughout the state making life difficult for commuters.
According to police, sporadic incidents of violence, including stone pelting on buses, were reported in some parts of the state.
A Tamil Nadu registered lorry carrying cargo and a tourist bus with students were pelted with stones in Kozhikode district.
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were stoned in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam after which they stopped services, they said.
Police also helped patients to go to hospitals for treatment in many places.
The state Assembly witnessed unruly scenes on the budget presentation day yesterday as ruling and opposition members engaged in a scuffle over presentation of state budget by Finance Minister K M Mani, who is facing bribery allegations in the bar scam, which shook the state recently.
Though the opposition members vandalised the the speakers' podium, Mr Mani managed to present his record 13th budget.
To protest against the violent incidents in the Assembly, ruling United Democratic Front will be observing a 'black day' tomorrow.