Chandy reviled to scuttle state’s development: K Babu

Babu said that all major charges against the chief minister were made when the state was about to realise a big project.

"It was during the progress of the Kochi Metro Project, which the Opposition had said would never get started, that Saritha levelled her allegations," Babu said.

"It was also the time when the UDF government had taken the Smart City project to an advanced state," he added.

He said bar owner Biju Ramesh entered the picture when Saritha's charges lost steam. "But when the Opposition began celebrating Biju Ramesh's charges, we were working hard on the runway of the Kannur international airport," Babu said.

When the potency of Biju Ramesh's charges began to wane, Biju Radhakrishnan made an entry. "When they were after the charges levelled by a man indicted for the murder of his wife and is the prime accused in 58 criminal cases, we were involved in expediting the inaugural of the Vizhinjam project," the ports minister said.

Also, he said the chief minister was in Delhi presenting the state's case when the voyeuristic Opposition was tracking Biju Radhakrishnan's journey to Coimbatore in search of a CD.

Babu termed Chandy's Mass Contact programme as the world's biggest interactive initiative by a government head. "Chandy was the living example of Mao Tse Tung's aphorism that leaders should be with the people like fishes in water," Babu said. "No wonder, the Vommunists are scared of Oommen Chandy," he added.