As pressure mounts on the Congress to sack Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over a local court’s direction to launch an FIR against him in the solar scam, the party high command started hectic parleys with State leaders to address the situation.
Though the party said it sees no need for Chandy’s resignation, the Opposition has upped the ante.
The BJP, which was in a back-foot over the decision to impose President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh, started an all-round attack against the Congress leadership.
Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that Chandy has no “locus standi” to continue in the position. Urging the Congress high command to speak out, she said, “The Vigilance court has asked that an FIR be filed. It cannot be graver than this. The BJP demands that the CM resign immediately. The Kerala government is reeling under one corruption charge or other,” she added.
Principal Opposition CPI (M) said Chandy is making fun of the democratic traditions of Kerala. “His government is paving the way for communalism and anarchy. There are unprecedented protests against the State government,” said CPI (M) Polit Bureau member MA Baby.
The CPI’s Central Secretariat said Chandy has lost the moral authority to continue. “CPI demands immediate resignation of Chandy from the post of Chief Minister of Kerala,” a CPI statement said.
The Congress said the allegations are politically motivated. “The Chief Minister and all ministers of the coalition have respected the proceedings of the Judicial Commission so much so that CM himself submitted willingly to the jurisdiction of the Judicial Commission and answered questions put by both Left Parties, as also by counsels for all the accused in solar-scam,” said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
He said not a Rupee of benefit was given by the Congress government in Kerala to any member of the team Solar-scam. “Chandy has also made a detailed statement. He has said that he is going to discuss the entire controversy and all issues with all coalition partners as also with all his colleagues, leaders of the Congress,” Surjewala added.