Chandy resigns as Kerala’s transport minister

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Thomas Chandy on Wednesday resigned as Kerala’s transport minister amidst high drama.

His resignation had become inevitable after the Kerala High Court dismissed his plea to quash land grab charges against him on Tuesday, suggesting he lost the constitutional right to hold ofice.

It came after a high drama that put the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) almost on the verge of collapse with four ministers of the Communist Party of India (CPI), its second largest constituent, going to the extent of boycotting a cabinet meeting.

“That was most extraordinary a decision by the CPI,” said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a top leader of the Communist Party of India-marxist (CPM), who tried his best to protect the minister.

“A CPI minister sent a letter saying they were not attending the meeting if Chandy were there. That should not have happened at all. We have a collective responsibility (to run the government).” Exposing cracks further, revenue minister E Chandrasekharan, who had crossed swords with Chandy earlier over the land grab, held a press conference in his adjacent ofice to reiterate their stand.

“Yes, that was an extraordinary response to an extraordinary situation. Let there be no misinterpretation,” said the minister who is also the loor leader of the 19-member CPI in the Assembly.

“We said we’ll keep away if he’s there. A minister offering to resign on condition is unheard of in a democracy. Let the people decide on its right and wrong. It’s not the individuals but positions that matter.” Before the cabinet meeting, Chandy called on the chief minister at his residence along with TP Peethambaran, the NCP general secretary doubling as its state unit chief, and closeted with him for half an hour.

The consensus among them was to buy time and move the Supreme Court to get the HC verdict quashed. But a signed copy of the judgment was not immediately available.

As the CPI toughened its stand and the crisis deepened, Chandy handed over his resignation to Peethambaran and left for his home near his controversial Lake Palace resort in the backwater gateway of Kuttanad, Alappuzha.

“The chief minister is convinced of my innocence, and he didn’t seek my resignation,” Chandy told reporters there turning his ire on the CPI.