THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking the Opposition by surprise, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the assembly on Monday that the government was willing to probe the alleged conspiracy against his predecessor Oommen Chandy in the solar scam-linked sexual harassment case if the UDF raised the demand in writing.
Earlier in the day, the Opposition, buoyed by its bypoll victory in Puthuppally, took a tactical decision to raise the CBI report claiming a conspiracy against Chandy, on the day the late leader’s son Chandy Oommen was sworn in MLA.
Congress’ young firebrand leader Shafi Parambil gave a notice to raise the issue through an adjournment motion. Squarely putting the blame on Pinarayi, Shafi termed him as the key player in the political conspiracy against the late Congress leader.
Apparently, the Opposition expected the speaker, at the request of the government, not to grant permission for the motion, and was planning to stage a walkout, as Oommen Chandy’s family members watched the proceedings from the visitor's gallery. However, Pinarayi took the storm out of the Opposition strategy by agreeing to a discussion. The CBI has filed the report in question before a court, and it’s not before the government. Hence, the government is not bound to take it up. However, appreciating the importance and sensitivity of the issue, “we are ready to discuss it”, he said.
The opposition was caught on the wrong foot by the CM’s move as its members were not prepared, which was evident from their performance during the discussion. Besides Shafi, N Shamsudheen and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, none of the UDF members could make any impact. On the other hand, the ruling bench deployed a battalion of seasoned legislators who had done their homework and staunchly defended the government.
Solar scam not LDF’s creation, says Pinarayi
The Opposition singled out Kerala Congress (B) leader K B Ganesh Kumar for his alleged role in arraigning Oommen Chandy in the case. The ruling front gave time for Ganesh to respond to allegations against him, and he used the chance effectively. Finally, when Speaker A N Shamseer asked Shafi whether he was pressing the motion for voting, the opposition retreated, and the motion was rejected.
Replying to the discussion, Pinarayi said the LDF government had recommended the CBI probe after due consultation with legal experts. “The solar scam was not hatched by the LDF,” he said.
Pinarayi denied charges that alleged power broker Nandakumar had met him with the petitioner three days after he was sworn in as chief minister in 2016. “Long back, much before becoming the chief minister, I had asked him to get out when he tried to meet me in my room at Kerala House in New Delhi... He would not have the moral courage to come and see me again,” the CM said.
Taking a dig at Satheesan, who raised the allegation, he said, “Vijayan is not Satheesan. Vijayan could say no to Nandakumar. However, I don’t know whether Satheesan could do that.”
Earlier, Satheesan called CM “a criminal conspirator” in the solar scam. “The case was sent for CBI inquiry as part of the LDF’s conspiracy. The sexual abuse case was a forged one. The LDF gave money to the petitioner to include Oommen Chandy’s name as the accused through Nandakumar,” he said. Moving the motion, Shafi demanded that the CPM should apologise to the people for conspiring against a leader like Chandy. K T Jaleel, N Shamshudeen, P P Chitharanjan, K K Rema and Thomas K Thomas participated in the discussion.
Solar: CBI report absolves Chandy
The CBI team that probed the sexual abuse allegation filed by the solar scam accused against former CM Oommen Chandy has informed the CJM Court that “there is no direct or circumstantial evidence to establish the allegation” against the late leader.