The Hindu : Front Page : Chief Minister accepts Kuruvilla’s resignation

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Tuesday, Sep 04, 2007
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Front Page

Chief Minister accepts Kuruvilla’s resignation

Special Correspondent

Letter forwarded to Governor for approval

Photo: S.Gopakumar

Stepping down: Public Works Minister T.U. Kuruvilla with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan after he submitted his resignation to the latter at Cliff House in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday night. -

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: T.U. Kuruvilla put in his papers as Public Works Minister in the LDF Cabinet late on Monday night.

Mr. Kuruvilla called on Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan at his official residence here along with his party colleagues to submit his resignation letter and later told waiting mediapersons that he resigned to keep the image of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) intact.

He was certain that the Chief Minister had done justice to him and left it to the Kerala Congress(Joseph), as the representative of which he had become member of the LDF Cabinet, to decide who should succeed him.

Asked whether he would return as Minister in the present LDF Cabinet, Mr. Kuruvilla would only say that it was something for God to decide. The Chief Minister, who emerged out of his office along with Mr. Kuruvilla, did not offer any comment. Mr. Kuruvilla was accompanied to the Chief Minister’s residence by party MLAs V. Surendran Pillai and Mons Joseph and KC(J) leader George Sebastian.

It was a long wait for Mr. Kuruvilla as the Chief Minister returned to the State capital more than an hour after his expected arrival.

Indications are that the Chief Minister would retain the Public Works portfolio till September 15 by when the Kerala Congress (Joseph) is expected to announce its new minister. Mr. Achuthanandan has already made it clear that neither the CPI(M) nor the LDF wishes to deny any front constituent’s rightful claim to a place in the Cabinet. This implies that he will be ready to wait till the KC(J) comes up with a new name or decides to go without a Minister, the latter option being most unlikely in the current context.

The KC(J) State executive is scheduled to meet on September 15 to take a decision on the new minister. Speculation is already rife about the possibility of party chairman P.J. Joseph returning to the job that he had relinquished following sexual harassment charges against him.

It is not certain whether he will be cleared of the charges before September 15. There is no possibility of the other LDF constituents agreeing to his return till he is cleared of the charges.

Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan has forwarded T.U. Kuruvilla’s resignation to Governor R.L. Bhatia.

The Chief Minister signed the necessary papers immediately on receipt of the resignation letter from the Minister at 11.10 p.m. on Monday and forwarded it to the Governor . The Governor is out of the State capital and is expected to grant his approval for the same on Tuesday.

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