With the Vigilance Court, Kottayam, ordering a preliminary investigation into the allegations of violation of various land-related laws by the Lake Palace Resort in Alappuzha owned by Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, the situation has turned grim for both the Minister and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Despite a virulent media campaign and the CPI taking a strong stand against the Transport Minister, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had so far stood firmly with Mr. Chandy.
However, with the Vigilance Court order for a preliminary investigation against the Transport Minister, the Chief Minister could come under pressure to take a second look at Mr. Chandy’s case. Whether he will do so will become evident when the CPI(M) State secretariat meets here on Monday.
No need for him to quit: CPI(M)
As things stand, the CPI(M) stand is that there is no need for Mr. Chandy to quit or be dropped as Minister as he had done nothing wrong in his capacity as Minister. All the allegations against him related to the actions taken by the resort before he had become a Minister and, as such, there is no need for him to be held responsible for it, the party feels.
However, the CPI has a different stand on the whole issue. The party, which controls the Revenue portfolio, had done everything within its power to bring the resort to account, thereby putting the Transport Minister on the defensive.
The ties between the CPI(M) and CPI have come under strain as a result, Chief Minister virtually snubbing Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan by leaving it to the Advocate General (AG) to decide how to proceed with the related case in the Kerala High Court.
Talking to The Hindu, CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran said the Revenue Minister had placed the entire issue before the Chief Minister for a decision as the allegations were against a Cabinet colleague of his. The CPI leadership was upset with the stand taken by the AG on the Revenue Minister’s direction that the case should be handled by Additional AG Ranjith Thampan, but was not willing to go in for a showdown over the issue. But that may not solve the issue for the party and the LDF.