Kerala CM Oomen Chandy declines to be drawn into prison issue: Report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today declined to be drawn into the wordy duel between a section of Congress leaders and State Home Minister Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan over breach of prison rules by some accused in a political murder case, lodged in Kozhikode jail. Asked whether he was satisfied with the performance of the Home Minister during a cabinet briefing here, Chandy just smiled, got up and left. The issue had triggered a wordy duel in the Congress with some prominent leaders of the party targetting Radhakrishnan, a confidant of Chandy in the party.

Attacking Radhakrishnan, Congress MP from Kannur K Sudhakaran had said right from the start, there had been serious lapses in handling of the T P Chandrasekharan murder case in which several CPI(M) local leaders figure as accused. Hitting back at Sudhakaran, the minister said it was for those who made him the minister to seek his resignation and he was not going to be cowed down by unfounded criticism.

In an embarrassment to prison authorities, some accused in the Chandrsekharan murder case, lodged in the Kozhikode district prison, were found to have made Facebook postings, using sophisticated mobile phones in their possession. Joining the issue, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala had also stated that the prison story had created deep anxiety in the minds of people in general and the Congress workers in particular and this would be conveyed to the Chief Minister.