THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There won't be a new minister to handle the Fisheries, Cultural Affairs and other portfolios held by Saji Cherian for the time being, said CPM state secretary Kodyeri Balakrishnan.
CPM leader Saji Cherian stepped down from the state cabinet on Wednesday after his anti-constitution rant triggered a row.
Addressing media persons after the CPM's state secretariat meeting on Friday, Kodiyeri said the party has assigned the chief minister to divide the portfolios among his cabinet colleagues. Kodyeri said Saji Cherian had admitted his mistake in the previous secretariat meeting. Cherian had said that certain sentences in that speech weren't made intentionally. Cherian's initial remarks that his comments were misreported by the media lost relevance after his resignation.
Kodiyeri said the resignation was an ideal decision. "Saji Cherian upheld high democratic values. The CPM always upholds Constitutional values and is bound to protect its tenets of sovereignty, democracy and secularism. The party constitution says that it would work in adherence to the Indian Constitution," he said.
The party secretary said Saji Cherian need not resign from the MLA post. He also ruled out a probe into the alleged conspiracy behind the leaking of the video of Cherian' speech to the media.
On the attack on AKG centre, Kodyeri said the police are making an intense investigation. It may take time to identify the accused because the attack was at night, he said.