Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress high command is learnt to have expressed displeasure over the names of several Congress leaders including former chief minister Oommen Chandy figuring in the solar scam report. Sources said the high command which had called the leaders on Friday to discuss the organisational matters did not take up the issue but discussed the impact of the solar scam report instead.
Sources said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi held separate meetings with Mr Chandy, leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president M.M. Hassan, vice-president V.D. Satheesan and former KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran before finally calling a joint meeting of all these leaders. The high command gave feelers that the issue would be taken up by the BJP at the national level and the CPM at the state level.
This controversy had erupted at a time when the Congress was trying to revive itself at the national level and elections to two states were round the corner. Hence, it has to be seen seriously. However, the high command made clear that it would make a final opinion on the issue only after discussing the issue with senior leaders including A.K. Antony. Later speaking to the media, Mr Hassan admitted that the issue was discussed at the meeting with Mr Gandhi. The KPCC will discuss the suggestions put forward by him. The party will stand united and fight the situation, Mr Hassan said.
Mr Chandy expressed the confidence after meeting that the case would ultimately end up favouring the UDF and detrimental to the LDF. “The case will be dealt legally,” he said. “I have done nothing wrong. I have got the support of the party and its activists, too.” He said he had submitted an RTI application for the copy of the solar scam enquiry commission report but was not given saying that it was not placed in the assembly yet.
