Achuthanandan resigns, asks new govt to keep tainted out

Mangalore Today News Network

Thiruvananthapuram, May 14: A day after the Left Democratic Front led by him lost the assembly elections, V.S. Achuthanandan resigned as Kerala chief minister Saturday. Addressing the media later, the veteran leader said the new government should ensure that those facing criminal charges and ’’womanisers’’ are kept out.

Achuthanandan submitted his resignation to Governor R.S. Gavai. The Congress-led United Democratic Front barely managed to scrape through and got 72 seats in the 140-member state assembly, just one seat more than the required minimum to run a government. The outgoing LDF secured 68 seats.

"Under no circumstances should those with a tainted track record such as the corrupt and womanisers be thrust upon the people of Kerala," Achuthanandan told reporters who had gathered at his official residence here Saturday afternoon.

Asked to elaborate on whether he was pointing to people like Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, who is alleged to be involved in the Kozhikode ice cream sex case scandal, he shot back saying, "I have already said what I wanted to say." The Congress-led UDF, which has begun informal talks on formation of the next government, is certain to have Kunhalikutty as a minister as well as T.M. Jacob (Kerala Congress-Jacob).

Achuthanandan has been waging a war against both these leaders and early this year launched a re-investigation into the alleged sex scandal case following fresh revelations that Kunhalikutty managed to escape the law in this case by allegedly influencing two judges.

Incidentally, early this month both the now retired judges were questioned by the new police probe team that was appointed following Achuthanandan’s intervention.
Jacob also is facing a corruption case over alleged irregularities in the work of an irrigation project which was cleared by him while he was minister in a previous Congress-led government.

Asked if he would take up the role of leader of opposition if asked by his CPI-M party, Achuthanandan said: "Naturally, why is this question being asked."

His effective intervention as opposition leader during 2001-06 helped him hugely to become the third CPI-M chief minister to head a government in the state. He also added that his party will introspect on why party candidates did not do as expected in the northern districts of Kannur and Kasargode.

He has been asked by the governor to remain as caretaker chief minister till the next government assumes office, which is expected to take place early next week.