Ramesh Chennithala, ministers’ spat in open

Thiruvananthapuram: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has denied the reports that he had  differences of opinion with  PWD Minister V. K. Ebrahimkunju and  Water Resources Minister P. J. Joseph over the suspension of PWD chief engineer T. K. Satheeshan and KWA chief engineer V. K. Mahanudevan  over corruption charges.

It may be recalled that Mr  Chennithala  had taken action against the officials 12 days ago for awarding the contract to Kerala State Construction Corporation.

The Vigilance had said that these officials’ dealings were not transparent in the Parappanangadi overbridge work which was awarded to a contractor for '8 crore without taking  the quotation.

Mr Chennithala told mediapersons in New Delhi that  his fight was against corruption and that he had acted  as per the report of Vigilance and Anti- Corruption Bureau director Vinson M. Paul. However, Mr Ebrahimkunju told DC that he had made  only an oral  complaint to the Chief Minister.

Mr Chennithala said  that he had apprised  Mr Oommen Chandy of the situation.   

“The Malappuram unit of V&ACB had twice recommended that these two CEs should be suspended. Action was taken on the basis of the advice from V&ACB director, business rules, High Court manual and secretariat manual,”  said  Mr Chennithala.

Mr Ebrahimkunju said  he had objected to the way in which Mr Chennithala  had acted  without consulting him or the CM.  Sources close to Mr P. J. Joseph said  that he too had criticised Mr Chennithala’s move.