THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former chief minister Oommen Chandy's loyalists have left everyone perplexed. While the senior leader spoke in favour of the Bill regularising illegal admissions, his loyalist Benny Behanan has come out with a serious allegation. He believes money had changed hands before the state government going out of the way to save Karuna and Kannur medical colleges with the Opposition support.
Some believe Mr Behanon's statement reflects the discontent brewing in the second rung of the 'A' group leadership over party placements. Before M. M. Hassan became the KPCC president, Mr Behanan was the group's favourite. But once the solar scam report was out, and chances of Mr Behanan became bleak as he was allegedly involved in it, both groups agreed on Mr Hassan. Though Mr Behanan did not show his displeasure openly, rumours were rife that the move did not go down well with him. But the decision by Mr Chandy to project Mr Hassan was without discussing it with group leaders.
A Congress MLA in Chandy camp said Mr Behanan was keen on coming out of Mr Chandy's shadow and building an image of his own. "Behanan is trying to evolve a clean image as the solar scam had given him enough damage," he told DC. "He wants to break the shackles, and the grapevine is that it is K. M. Shahjahan, a former aide of CPM veteran V. S. Achuthanandan, who is advising him." Other top Chandy loyalists are K. C. Joseph MLA, KPCC general secretary Thampanoor Ravi and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan MLA.
Ever since the UDF lost power, Mr Behanan and Mr Radhakrishnan were unhappy. Mr But Mr Ravi will never revolt against Mr Chandy. On Monday, Mr Behanan maintained that there is nothing wrong in consulting Mr Shahjahan who is considered an expert on the issue. He said nothing went wrong in his equations with Mr Chandy and reiterated that he will always remain a loyalist. "From day one, I have been telling that legalising these admissions is ethically not right," he told DC. "The Medical Advisory Council, the apex court and even the senior bureaucrats are all of this view."
