BJP lays siege to Secretariat seeking Thomas Chandy’s ouster

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP workers laid siege to the Secretariat on Monday demanding the immediate ouster of Transport  Minister Thomas Chandy from the cabinet. Inaugurating the event, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan called for the seizure of grabbed land from Chandy and its distribution among farmers.He pointed out the Minister had violated the Land Reforms Act and had no right to continue in power. He pointed out Chandy had grabbed surplus land distributed to farmers and if farmers do not want the paddy land, it should be vested with the government. 

“When all the legal advice provided to the government is against Chandy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should explain why he is protecting the Minister,” said Kummanam. “Both the LDF and UDF are protecting Chandy. Most of the violations were committed during the UDF government’s tenure. That is why former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is keeping silent.” He reminded Pinarayi not to forget the revolutionary songs Communist leaders had sung in the paddy fields of Kuttanad. Kummanam also alleged Chandy had hidden details of his assets while filing his election nomination. As it is a breach of The Representation Of The People’s Act, the Governor should immediately take action against the Minister, he said.

“Now, the ball is in the court of the Chief Minister. He should show the courage to ask Chandy to get out of the cabinet,” he said. BJP zonal committee president Velliyamkulam Parameswaran presided.BJP national executive members P K Krishnadas, V Muralidharan, O Rajagopal MLA, state general secretaries A N Radhakrishnan, Sobha Surendran, spokesman J R Padmakumar, state secretary C Sivankutty, Mahila Morcha state president Renu Suresh and district president S Suresh spoke.  The protest which began at 6 am came to an end by 2 pm. While three gates of the Secretariat were blocked, the Cantonment gate remained open.