THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With moves afoot purportedly for the return of NCP MLA A K Saseendran to the Pinarayi Vijayan Government on the premise of a favourable report from the judicial commission which looked into the honey trap episode, coupled with the CM leaving the matter to the NCP’s discretion and the CPI green-lighting it, the main Opposition UDF is looking to milk the issue for all its political worth.
The Congress-led Opposition is gung-ho at the prospect of scoring political brownie points after managing to force out Thomas Chandy - who had replaced Saseendran as the NCP nominee in the Cabinet following the latter’s unceremonious exit six months ago - since Saseendran’s re-entry is likely to raise pertinent political questions of right and wrong. Not to mention the legalities associated with the honey trap issue.
In a sarcastic vein, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has said Saseendran’s reinduction will become a ‘hallmark’ of the LDF Government.’’Making him a minister again will be a gauntlet thrown down to the people of Kerala (by the LDF),’’ he said.Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran took strong exception to Saseendran’s possible Cabinet return on the ground the judicial commission’s findings had emphasised the moral turpitude charge against the latter. “The commission did not give him a clean chit,’’ he said.