The infamous solar power scam alleging Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's involvement, has triggered a serious political crisis in Kerala's Congress-led ruling UDF with faction war hitting new lows in the Congress and its closest allies trying to curtail its inability to end the scandal.
On Sunday, K Muraleedharan MlA, a top leader of the Congress's 'I' group, unleashed a scathing attack against the Government over the solar scam even as the Muslim league and Kerala Congress (M), respectively the second and third biggest parties in the UDF, made it clear that they might even consider leaving the front if there was no improvement in the situation.
"We would stay away (from the UDF) if Congress refuses to rectify its mistakes despite frequent warnings and suggestions," said Kerala Congress (M) chairman KM Mani. "We are not servants to anybody. We are not dependent on anyone… It is up to Chandy to prove his innocence in the solar scam," Mani said in a TV interview.
KC (M) vice-chairman and Government Chief Whip PC George went a step further saying that Mani should be made Chief Minister if there were disputes in the Congress. "The UDF Government has not been able to fulfill the promises made in its manifesto," George said, adding that the KC (M) would be forced to take tough stands in the interest of the people.
Senior Muslim league leader and Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty had warned the Congress the other day that his party would leave the UDF if there was no change in the style (of Chandy). Kunhalikutty said that the league had not taken any policy to support only a certain Congress leader as Chief Minister. The crisis within the Congress party triggered when Muraleedharan warning the party that the UDF would face serious setbacks in the coming lok Sabha polls if the probe into the scam continues at its current pace.
Muraleedharan, who has a big political score to settle with Chandy over his alleged role in unseating his father K Karunakaran as Chief Minister back in 1995, said that it was strange that the same police which had arrested Chandy's aide Tenny Joppen were not arresting his other aides Jikkumon Jacob and Salim Raj, who had committed the same crime as Joppen.
Giving clear indications that neither he nor the 'I' group of the party wanted to protect Chief Minister Chandy, he said, "The people of Kerala are dissatisfied with the probe into the solar scam. If the UDF goes to the polls without taking away this dissatisfaction from the minds of the people it would cause serious setbacks."
Muraleedharan even went to the extent of alleging conspiracy behind the incident in which a police grenade exploded near Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan necessitating his hospitalisation on July 9. "There could have been riots if something had happened to VS," he said, adding that a section in the police was perhaps trying to create trouble.
The Congress's 'A' group, led by Chandy, was quick to respond sharply to Muraleedharan. Congress general secretary Benny Behennan, a staunch Chandy-loyalist, saw 'I' group conspiracy against the Chief Minister behind Muraleedharan's statements even as several 'I' group leaders rallied behind him.
State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala, the ultimate leader of the 'I' group, issued asked Muraleedharan not to make statements that could cause confusion in the party even as Defence Minister AK Antony warned that conflict in the party would not be detrimental to any particular person but to all alike.