THE winter session of Kerala assembly began on a stormy note on November 30 with the Left Democratic Front stepping up attack on the government, seeking excise minister K Babu’s resignation in the bar bribery scam, within and outside of the House. The CPI(M)-led opposition raised the banner of protest as soon as the 11-day session began. The moment Speaker N Sakthan invited Babu to reply to a question, the entire opposition was on its feet. The opposition kept up its protest every time Babu rose to reply to supplementary questions. Opposition members in one voice demanded the minister's resignation, which led to disruption of the proceedings and adjournment on the first day. In the conspicuous absence of Kerala Congress leader KM Mani, who had to resign as finance minister in connection with the scam, the opposition claimed double standards by the Oommen Chandy government in dealing with the charges against Mani and Babu. CPI(M) state secretary and deputy leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged that despite clear evidence against Babu, no FIR was filed against him. The first session after Mani's resignation saw the LDF training its guns on Babu. When the winter session opened, the opposition members raised slogans and displayed banners and placards, seeking immediate removal of Babu from the cabinet. Opposition members stayed away from asking any question related to Babu's departments. The Speaker was forced to give in to the opposition demands for adjournment motion on the first day of the session itself. Seeking leave for adjournment motion, Balakrishnan demanded that a detailed probe be carried out against Babu. Coming down heavily on the government, he alleged double standards on part of the government and said Mani, against whom corruption charges of Rs one crore were levelled, had to resign but excise minister Babu, who allegedly received Rs 10 crore, was still in power and is being protected by Oommen Chandy. "K M Mani who sought one crore is out but K Babu who got Rs 10 crore is in," Balakrishnan said. Balakrishnan said that the state exchequer suffered a loss of Rs 49 crore due to Babu’s decision on renewing bar licence. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan hinted at chief minister Chandy’s role in the bar scam. VS expressed doubts whether a portion of the bribe money allegedly taken by Babu went to Puthupally, Chandy’s constituency. Achuthanandan said if the probe went in the right direction, not only Babu but also Channdy would be trapped. He said it was the first time in the history of Kerala that corruption charges are being raised against all ministers. Meanwhile, protests seeking the ouster of the corrupt UDF ministers continued outside the assembly too. Hundreds of LDF workers marched to the assembly and raised the slogan for immediate ouster of excise minister Babu. Opposition leader VS, who inaugurate the LDF march to assembly, said that government took a soft approach towards Babu as he shared the bribe money with the chief minister. Balakrishnan said that Chandy had direct involvement in the bar and solar scams. CPI leader Pannyan Raveendran attributed the state's rising debt burden to the rampant corruption in the government. NCP leader Uzhavoor Vijayan and Janata Dal (S) leader Mathew T Thomas and MLA K B Gneshkumar also addressed the gathering outside the assembly.