Indicating more trouble for Kerala Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, facing allegations of encroachment of backwaters and violation of land rules, Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan today briefed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the report submitted by a district collector on charges against Chandy.
The report submitted by Alappuzha District CollectorT V Anupama stated that a lake resort owned by Chandy at Kuttanad in Alappuzha district had violated rules.
"Yes the revenue minister met Chief Minister and briefed him on the report, the sources said.
Asked whether the revenue department had recommended any action based on the report, sources said that "the revenue minister had put forward his opinion, as the report established violation of rules (by Chandy)"
The allegation was that the Lake Palace Resort owned by Chandy had filled paddy field for the construction of parking space and also encroached Marthandam backwaters.
Chandy has been under attack from the Congress-led UDF opposition and BJP ever since the allegations surfaced some time back.
Stepping upits demand for the resignation of Chandy, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that there was "mystery" in Chief Minister protecting the transport minister even after the revenue minister accepted the district collector's report that "found serious violation of rules."
Chennithala also claimed that the district collector had found criminal offences under land conservation law and sought legal action against Chandy.
Chennithala said Chief Minister should sack Chandy from the ministry if he refuse to quit of his own.
BJP State President Kummanom Rajasekharan also wanted the Chief Minister to remove Chandy from the cabinet in the wake of the findings in the report.
Thomas Chandy, a businessman turned politician, is the NCP nominee in the cabinet. He joined the ministry in April following the resignation of A K Saseendran after a purported audio clip of him speaking in sexual undertones to a women emerged.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
