Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan foiled an attempt by Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala to counter the barrage of charges against UDF leaders in the solar commission report tabled in the Assembly on Thursday by highlighting the clean image of his predecessor Oommen Chandy by insinuating factional rivalries in the Congress.
Transport Minister Thomas Chandy greets Nilambur MLA P.V. Anwar after the report was presented. Both members are embroiled in encroachment controversy. Minister for Local Self-Governments K.T. Jaleel looks on. On extreme left, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala is seen making a point before the report presentation.
After Mr Vijayan tabled the report, Mr Chennithala said that the government's attempt to tarnish the image of Mr Chandy would not work as he was having a spotless personal and political career. “The government is attempting to tarnish the image of a person like Mr Chandy, who is a senior politician and two-time chief minister, by raising sexual allegations. This will not work,” Mr Chennithala said.
Mr Vijayan immediately countered it by maintaining that he did not mention Mr Chandy’s name in the House while referring to the sexual allegations in the report. “I have not mentioned the name of anyone in connection with the sexual allegations. But you are now raising names. You may have some interests in referring to the sexual allegations of certain persons,” Mr Vijayan said with an oblique reference to the factional feud between the rival groups in the Congress.
While Mr Chennithala alleged that manipulations were made in the report, Mr Vijayan hit back stating that the UDF was questioning the credibility of the judicial commission its government appointed. "After the commission submitted its report to the government, a home department official was sent to Justice Sivarajan’s home. This was for manipulating the report," Mr Chennithala alleged. As Mr Vijayan mentioned about a clerical correction in the statement he made in the house while presenting the report, Mr Chennithala alleged that it was another instance of government’s lapses.
