PTI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a setback to Kerala’s CPI(M)-led LDF government, Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, who is accused of land encroachment for his luxury resort, today resigned from the Cabinet–the third minister to quit in 18 months since it came to power.
The resignation of Chandy, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA, comes a day after the Kerala high court rejected his plea to quash an inquiry report which indicted him in connection with the land grab allegations. The high court yesterday made scathing remarks against Chandy, a businessman-turned politician, and dismissed his petition challenging the report of Alappuzha District Collector on the alleged encroachments by the resort. Alappuzha District Collector T V Anupama, who was directed by the state government to look into the allegations, in her report has stated that large scale violations of Kerala Land Conservation Act and Conservation of Paddy land and Wetland Act had been committed by the resort.
Chandy is the third minister to quit the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet which came to power in May 2016. Earlier, A K Saseendran of the NCP had resigned after a sleaze audio clip with a woman went viral and E P Jayarajan (CPI-M) quit on nepotism charges.
The land encroachment allegations brought to fore differences in the ruling LDF with CPI, the second largest partner of the front, asking its four ministers to stay away from a Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day if Chandy attended it.
