THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The proposed CBI probe into allegations of sexual abuse linked to the solar scandal has come as a blessing in disguise for former chief minister Oommen Chandy, with the entire party rallying behind him. For Chandy, whose recent appointment as chairman of Congress’ election supervisory committee has given rise to disaffection among a section of leaders, the decision has afforded the perfect opportunity to launch a united campaign for the assembly election.
A day after the decision of the LDF government came to light, Chandy was busy giving media interviews. In the interactions, he attacked the state government for playing politics with a case lacking substance. In what could be viewed as a clever political move, Chandy also defended Jose K Mani, who ditched the UDF recently and is among those named by the complainant.
Chandy said the state government had gone all out in its efforts to nail him in the case. “If there was any proof of wrongdoing, they would have booked me by now. The LDF government quickly realized even they cannot play up a fake case. That was why they did not even appeal the high court verdict,” he said.
The government’s latest decision, with the assembly election round the corner, is purely a political ploy which will boomerang, Chandy added.
The Congress has decided to expose what it says is CPM’s political vendetta and most of its party leaders have been vocal in making the case. The party leadership is of the view that Chandy’s return to the helm of affairs couldn’t have been more perfectly timed.
“The latest decision of the government will help the UDF. People are aware that by raking up the solar case CPM is engaging in vendetta politics,’’ said KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran.
Congress is also hoping that playing the victim card will win back the Christian vote, whose erosion is one of the reasons attributed for the UDF’s poor showing in central Kerala in the recently concluded local-body election.