Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that the electoral verdict in the Aruvikkara by-election would vindicate the government’s liquor policy.
Briefing presspersons after a meeting of the State Cabinet, he said women voters would turn out in large numbers to vote for the United Democratic Front (UDF) in an expression of solidarity with the government’s liquor policy. He said the electorate would see through the Opposition’s efforts to intimidate the government by raising baseless allegations.
The electoral outcome would be a referendum on the four-year rule of the UDF government and the performance of the Opposition, he said.
Mr. Chandy said the Opposition was facing one setback after another in its efforts to corner the government in the solar scam and bar bribery case. “They should realise that their efforts have found no public acceptance.”
He demanded that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) apologise to the people for trying to run down the conduct of the National Games in the State. Referring to the Central Bureau of Investigation report that found no irregularity in the conduct of the games, he said it was a slap in the face of the Opposition. “It is unfortunate that even people’s representatives raised unfounded allegations against the event, and threatened to drag officials to court. They owe an apology to the people.”
The Cabinet complimented Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Games CEO Chief Commissioner and Principal Coordinator Jacob Punnoose, and other senior officials for the successful conduct of the event.
About the Vigilance Director’s decision to seek legal advice from the Attorney General of India on charge-sheeting Finance Minister K.M. Mani in the bar bribery case, he said the director was well within his rights to do so. “The government has not meddled in the investigation into the case.”
Mr. Chandy said there was no possibility of a joint proposal by the State government and the Kerala High Court on setting up a High Court Bench in the capital city.
