The Congress in the state has been sent into a tizzy by the order of a Bengaluru sessions court against senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy.

In its order, which will have a crucial bearing on the group rivalry in the Congress in Kerala, the court has asked the six accused, including Chandy to pay a compensation of Rs 1.6 crore to Bangalore-based businessman, MK Kuruvila.

In his petition, Kuruvila had alleged that a group of people, including a relative of Chandy and a Youth Congress leader, took a bribe of Rs 1.3 crore from him for letting him set up a solar power project in Kerala. According to Kuruvila, Chandy reportedly assured him of his help in setting up the project.

The reaction to the court order has also brought into bold relief the ongoing group rivalry within the Congress. So far, only leaders belonging to the A group led by Oommen Chandy have rushed to the defence of the former CM.

Significantly, neither leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala nor Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, V M Sudheeran has come out in support of Chandy.

Not surprisingly, CPI(M) patriarch V S Acxhuthanandan has promptly demanded that Oommen Chandy must offer a public apology and quit public life in the wake of the verdict.

However, it is significant to note that CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has not extended his support to the VS demand. In a guarded reaction, all that Kodiyeri has said is the verdict has vindicated the CPI(M) stand on the solar scam. Chandy’s claim that the verdict is one-sided and that his side of the story was not heard, would not stand public scrutiny, Kodiyeri added. The former CM will challenge the order in the High Court.

It is learnt that the CPI(M) will formulate its official stand only after analyzing the verdict in detail.

In effect, the verdict has blunted the edge of the Congress campaign against the LDF Government on corruption. Congress leaders, who have been making a big hue and cry over nepotism charges against former industries minister E P Jayarajan, have remained tight-lipped over the verdict against Chandy.

The prime accused in the solar scam, Saritha Nair has added to the discomfiture of Oommen Chandy by saying that the verdict has vindicated her stand that the state police would never go against Chandy while he was in power.

Whatever the denouement, the court order has weakened the position of Oommen Chandy in the Congress. It will certainly have an adverse impact on his efforts to regain his pre-eminent position in the party.

In a further embarrassment to Chandy, the KPCC chief has shot off a letter to Minister for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, A K Balan seeking a probe into two scams pertaining to the implementation of schemes for the tribal population during the Oommen Chandy Government’s term. (IPA Service)