The Hindu : Kerala News : Drop Kunhalikutty or face public wrath: VS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Drop Kunhalikutty or face public wrath: VS

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 23. The Leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan, has said that the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, would have to pay a heavy price if he does not drop the Industries Minister, P. K. Kunhalikutty, from the Cabinet.

Addressing a sit-in organised by the Kerala Congress (Secular) in front of the Secretariat here today to press for Mr. Kunhalikutty's ouster from the Cabinet, the Opposition Leader said that if the Congress leadership was averse to take action against Mr. Kunhalikutty for fear that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would accommodate the Muslim League their fears were misplaced.

There was no question of allowing the Muslim League anywhere near the LDF, he asserted.

Dig at Chandy

Mr. Achuthanandan also took a dig at the Chief Minister for the Government's failure to identify the `VIP', whom he had referred to in connection with the Kiliroor sex racket case.

"The Chief Minister seems to be repeatedly throwing the ball back into my court. Probably he wants to hand over the Home Department to me. If that happened, all the `VIPs' would land behind bars within minutes," Mr. Achuthanandan said.

`A disgrace'

Addressing the protesters, the CPI State secretary, Veliyam Bhargavan, said that the Chief Minister should not be under the illusion that he could continue in power keeping Mr. Kunhalikutty in the Cabinet. The Oomen Chandy Government was a disgrace for the State, he added.

Three-member gang

Inaugurating the sit-in, the KC (Secular) chairman, P. C. George, said Mr. Chandy would be held accountable if he continued to justify Mr. Kunhalikkutty. Mr. Kunhalikutty has stated time and again that he was being protected by the Chief Minister.

The Revenue Minister, K. M. Mani, was on record that he shared the Chief Minister's stand on the issue. This showed that the `three-member gang' of Mr. Chandy, Mr. Mani and Mr. Kunhalikutty was going ahead questioning rule of law and democratic norms, he said.

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