THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While everything has ended happily for the UDF after the massive victory in the Aruvikkara bypoll, one question that still begs an answer in political circles is - what triggered Home Minister Mr Ramesh Chennithala’s Facebook post on bar bribe investigation a day ahead of counting?
What provoked Mr Chennithala to come up with the post, that too hours before the verdict in Aruvikkara is still not clear.
But sources said that just about the time the post appeared on his Facebook page, the Home Minister had reportedly shared intelligence info about the poll outcome with his close confidantes according to which state special branch indicated a 2000 vote win for the LDF while local police put it at 1000 votes.
If read in the context of his Facebook post, the big question that arises is whether Mr Chenithala took anticipatory bail hours before the results to steer clear of any responsibility should the bar bribe case be cited as one of the reasons in the event of a shock defeat.
The cleverly worded Facebook post laid too much emphasis on “I” as if he wanted to say that as an individual he was not responsible for the weakening of the probe. “I have not intervened in bar bribery probe. That was my clear and firm stand. I had to face severe pressure even from UDF and Congress for taking this position. I haven’t seen the vigilance’s inquiry report. As a minister I need not see the inquiry report,” his FB post said.
Mr Chennithala’s remarks led to a pandemonium in the Assembly, which began on Monday, with the opposition demanding that the home minster reveal the names of UDF and Congress leaders who had applied pressure.
