‘Tainted’ NCP MLAs in race for cabinet slot

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators in Kerala are racing against time to come clean in separate court cases and regain a vacant ministerial berth in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led alliance government.

Millionaire businessmanturned-politician Thomas Chandy resigned as transport minister on Wednesday after the high court reprimanded him over land-grab charges. Chandy was inducted in the ministry in April, replacing AK Saseendran after a journalist levelled charges of sexual harassment against him.

NCP state president TP Pithambaran said Vijayan has agreed to keep Chandy’s post vacant and give it to whoever comes clean first. The NCP is part of the CPM-led ruling alliance including CPI, JD (U), Kerala Congress (S) and Kerala Congress (B).

“The CM was very sympathetic towards us. He agreed to keep the slot vacant and give it to whoever comes out clean of the trumped-up charges. The post won’t be vacant for too long,” Pithambaran told HT.

Saseendran is working for an out-of-court settlement with the journalist who approached a court saying she was willing to withdraw her plaint. After a lower court turned down her withdrawal plea, she moved the high court.

The government had appointed a judicial commission to inquire into allegations after a news channel aired a telephone call in which a man, believed to be Saseendran, is heard having a sexually explicit conversation with a woman. Sources said even if the case is withdrawn, the government will have to allow the judicial commission to end its probe and report its findings.

Chandy also said he will move the Supreme Court to challenge the charges.