Opposition wants Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to quit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An overnight decision to give up the vigilance portfolio was initially considered a strategic move to save the day for Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, but demands for his resignation increased on Tuesday with Opposition leaders in Kerala saying it is appropriate for him to step down in the wake of a court directive.

A vigilance court here had on Monday directed investigators to probe Chandy's role in the palmolein import case of 1992, when he was finance minister in the K Karunakaran Cabinet. The import had led to a loss of .`2.32 crore to the state government.

The preliminary report had recommended against probing Chandy's role but the court overruled that and asked for an investigation. The opposition CPM had stated on Monday that it was improper for Chandy to hold the vigilance portfolio when a vigilance inquiry was proceeding against him.

"The Quit India day would be an ideal occasion for Oommen Chandy to quit," BJP spokesman George Kurien said on Tuesday, adding to the chorus of calls from CPM leaders in the state demanding Chandy's resignation. CPM leader and former home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the fact that Chandy had given up the vigilance portfolio did not mean there would be no scope for him to interfere in the matter.

"The chief minister is above all ministers and he continues to hold the portfolios of home and public administration", Balakrishnan pointed out, to back his demand for the resignation of the chief minister. Balakrishnan's CPM colleague Vaikom Viswan said the decision by the chief minister to give up the vigilance portfolio should not be presented as some kind of "concession", and called for Chandy's resignation.

In Kozhikode, DYFI workers held a march seeking Chandy's resignation, and burned the chief minister's effigy. However, Congress leaders rallied around Chandy, arguing that there is no reason for him to quit.