The controversy – the latest in the never-ending catalogue of controversies – has erupted barely days after the standoff between the CM and the KPCC president over the latter’s entry into the state cabinet.

The flaming row, which has shaken the Government to its very foundation, is over the links of the Chief Minister’s office with a woman accused of widespread fraud. The allegation is that the CM’s personal assistant, Tenny Jopan, and gunman, Salim Raj, had called the accused, Saritha Nair, several times from their mobile phones and the landline at the CM’s official residence, Cliff House. Saritha has since been arrested for cheating many investors by promising to install solar and windmill-based power systems. The fraud was unearthed when a number of investors-victims lodged a complaint with the police.

Though the CM has suspended the personal assistant and the gunman, in an effort to control the damage, the Opposition has refused to relent. Opposition leaders, including leader of the opposition, VS Achuthanandan, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI state secretary Pannyan Ravindran have demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation and a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Their contention is that an enquiry by the police department as long as Chandy remained the CM would be nothing but a gigantic farce, and that only a judicial inquiry would bring out the truth.

The issue figured prominently in the state assembly, currently in session, too. CPI(M) MLA Raju Abraham, who raised it, wondered how could an accused in a criminal case contact a member of his personal staff as many as 31 times in a single day!

A new dimension has been added by the government chief whip P C George who claimed that he had alerted the CM and his assistant about the phone calls made by his personal staff members and to be wary of the woman. Chandy, has however, claimed that George called him up a day after the woman was arrested.

A significant feature of the unsavoury episode has been that Chandy found himself totally isolated when the issue came up in the state assembly. No UDF member came to his defence when the opposition was grilling him – not even the Congress MLAs close to him.

Significantly, even KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala has avoided reacting to the controversy despite repeated requests by the media personnel. Well, the reason is not far to seek. Chennithala is upset over the humiliation meted out to him on the issue of his entry into the state cabinet. No wonder leaders belonging to the Vishala I group led by him have maintained a deafening silence! They seem to be gloating over the discomfiture of Oommen Chandy, who heads the rival A group.

It is difficult to divine the denouement. But one thing is for sure. Rivals of the CM within the Congress are bound to use the controversy as a potent weapon, to gun for Chandy in the days to come. The issue could also influence the decision of the Congress high command, which is looking into the CM-Ramesh spat over the latter’s cabinet entry.

In any case, the phone call controversy has cast a shadow over the Chandy Government. Troubled days are ahead for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. (IPA)