THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has defended transport Minister Thomas Chandy saying allegations against him are politically motivated since they have been levelled after he became minister. He said similar allegations had been raised earlier which clearly indicated that there were political intentions behind raking up the matter again. There is a clear political objective behind it. When asked whether the CPM would intervene in the matter, he said the NCP was capable of resolving their inner party issues and there was no need for any external intervention.
Kodiyeri’s statement came close on the heels of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan defending the minister and MLA on the floor of the House on Friday. The chief minister had given a clean chit to Chandy saying that the allegations were baseless and levelled with ulterior motive. Within CPM, only veteran leader and Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V. S. Achuthanandan has so far demanded detailed investigations into the allegations levelled against Transport Minister Thomas Chandy and CPM supported Nilambur MLA P. B. Anwar.
The veteran leader believes the allegations regarding the alleged encroachment and reclamation of portion of Punnamada Lake and the charges against Anwar in connection with the controversial Amusement Park. "I hope these allegations will be examined in detail and required action will be taken in this regard," he had stated. The CPM veteran has all along opposed the reclamation of paddy land, lake and water bodies and encroachments. In both the cases the allegations are related to encroachment and environment destruction.
