The infamous solar scam has worsened the feud in Kerala’s Congress and the ruling UDF even as the State-wide shutdown called by the Opposition lDF on Wednesday demanded Oommen Chandy’s resignation over the scandal. It was largely peaceful and Chandy reiterated his determination not to quit by bowing to Opposition’s pressure.
The Congress’s ‘I’ group led by State party Chief Ramesh Chennithala, arch-rival of Chandy, has registered its protests over the way in which the Government and the Chief Minister had been handling the solar scam. It observed that the party was receiving setbacks one after the other in the matter due to its lack of unity.
‘I’ group leaders have reportedly told the Chief Minister and his associates that his tendency to take decisions without consulting the party leadership was not acceptable. Till now, the group's protest had been confined to party forums but they are likely to become public soon if the Chief Minister was unprepared to change his style, they warned.
The faction criticised the way in which the Chief Minister and Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan had been using the solar scam to settle scores even when it had caused indescribable damage to the party by leaking out call data records for the mobile phone of scam perpetrator Saritha S Menon in order to attack each other.
Discomfort over the scam is growing in the ruling coalition also. Muslim league, the second largest UDF constituent, has informed the Congress leadership that it would not be easy for the front to go ahead in current situation without some serious efforts to regain the lost image. The Kerala Congress (M), third biggest partner, also has conveyed similar message to the Congress.
KC (M) vice-chairman and Government Chief Whip PC George said that it was up to Chandy and Chennithala to find a lasting solution to the current problems. "Our party has nothing to do with the faction war in the Congress. We have given the ball to Chandy and Ramesh. We will keep our eyes on them while they play," he said.
Meanwhile, Chandy told newsmen in Thiruvananthapuram that he was determined not to resign over the solar scam. "I am not a politician who would use any means to cling to power. But I am not prepared to leave the office by bowing to a conspiracy hatched by the Opposition. I would be doing injustice to Truth if I resign now. I am here to protect the Truth," Chandy said.
The Opposition had intensified the demand for Chandy's resignation after scam victim Malleli Sreedharan Nair disclosed through a TV channel on Monday night that the Chief Minister had given him assurances on his deal with con woman Saritha Nair, the main perpetrator of the scam to whom he had given Rs 40 lakh for installing a solar power project.
Nair said that Chandy had given the assurance at his office in the State Secretariat in the presence of Saritha on July 9, 2012. The Chief Minister, who had refuted the charge on the floor of the Assembly the other day, repeated his denial on Wednesday while rejecting the Opposition's allegation that he had been giving different statements at different times.
At the same time, the Opposition lDF's call to press for Chandy's resignation evoked total response in the State and the hartal remained peaceful on Wednesday. Normal life was paralysed as public vehicles were kept off the roads and shops and commercial establishments remained closed across the State. Attendance at Government offices was reported to be skeletal.