If Chandy’s defiance in the face of ‘clear evidence’ has caused eyebrows to be raised all round, the open defence of the minister by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has come as a bigger shock.

The growing perception is that the CM’s defence of the indefensible militates against his government’s election promise to eradicate corruption and amounts to condoning ministerial misdemeanour.

Not only that. The Chief Minister’s foot-dragging on the issue is in glaring contrast with the promptness with which he secured the resignations of former industries minister E P Jayarajan and former transport minister A K Sasheendran on charges of nepotism and sleaze respectively. Needless to say, the episode has seriously dented the credibility of the LDF Government.

The Transport Minister’s position became untenable with the district collector of Alappuzha confirming the allegations of encroachment of land for the construction of his Lake Palace resort in Alappuzha and the local municipality initiating action against a few officials for disappearance of the related files.

The preliminary report submitted by the collector to Revenue Minister E Chandrashekharan was based on satellite pictures showing changes in the land use pattern in the area over the last few years. Following the revelations of encroachment, the tax rebate granted to the resort has been withdrawn. The disappearance of the files came to light when the collector asked the municipality to submit all documents related to the grant of tax rebate and permission given to construct several structures in the resort. The collector had initiated the investigation on the orders of the Revenue Minister.

Matters have come to a head with the collector summoning the management of the Water World Tourism, the parent company of the controversial resort, for a hearing. The collector will submit a final report after hearing from all the stakeholders soon.
The government has taken refuge behind the plea that a decision will be taken on the continuance of the minister after the collector submits the final report.

The government has deferred the decision for another reason: if the minister is asked to step down before the by-election to the Vengara assembly constituency, it will adversely affect the prospects of the LDF candidate. The Vengara seat has fallen vacant following the election of sitting member P K Kunhalikkutty as an MP.

Significantly, there is considerable opposition to Chandy’s continuance as minister from his own party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). As many as eight district party presidents and seven national council members want Chandy to step down. They have decided to approach the NCP’s national president Sharad Pawar with the request to show Chandy the exit door. Sharad Pawar, meanwhile, told the reporter of a local TV channel in Mumbai that he is not aware of the developments, as neither the chief minister nor his party functionaries have informed him about the case.

Whatever the reason for the government’s inaction, the dilly-dallying has reinforced perceptions that it is scared of Thomas Chandy, the richest MLA in the state, who is known to be very generous as a host both at his resort as well as in Kuwait where he has major business interests. And that is not doing the LDF government any good. (IPA Service)