Lashing out at CPI for its role in his resignation, NCP leader Thomas Chandy has said the stubborn stand taken by one of the coalition partner has forced him to step down as Transport Minister.
He was speaking to reporters at his residence at Pupally, near here, on Wednesday.
“By boycotting the Cabinet meeting the CPI Ministers have violated the decency of coalition politics. It is not fair for a political party to interfere in the affairs of a coalition partner,” Mr. Chandy said, while referring to the CPI.
Mr. Chandy said that he had taken the decision to resign to uphold the integrity of the LDF government. “The Chief Minister has never asked for my resignation. I had taken the decision based on the observations made by the Kerala High Court and the stubborn stand taken by one of the allies,” he said.
Mr. Chandy will approach the Supreme Court to remove the comments made against him by the Kerala High Court. “I will file an appeal before the Supreme Court on Thursday to get the observations made by the High Court removed. The Chief Minister has promised to keep the portfolio vacant until a Nationalist Congress Party nominee can fill it. I hope to return to the ministry after getting a favourable verdict from the court,” he said.
Mr. Chandy, who has been embroiled in a land encroachment controversy at Marthandam Kayal also hit out at the probe report submitted by the Alappuzha District Collector, stating that it was prepared in haste and had lot of mistakes. “All the allegations levelled against me are baseless. I will come out clean. I have not encroached upon any land at Marthadam Kayal. I own hardly any land at Karuvelipadam. The report submitted by the District Collector contains a lot of errors,” he said.
On the allegations that the water world tourism company, the promoters of Lake Palace Resort, had filled paddy fields for constructing an approach road, he said the road was built after getting permission from the authorities concerned.
