His resignation had become inevitable after the Kerala High Court dismissed his appeal to quash Alappuzha Collector’s report which alleged land grab by Chandy’s resort, suggesting he had lost the constitutional right to hold office.
It came after high drama that put the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) almost on the verge of collapse with four ministers of the Communist Party of India (CPI), its second largest constituent, boycotting a cabinet meeting.
“That was the most extraordinary a decision by the CPI,” said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who tried his best to protect the minister.
“A CPI minister sent a letter saying they were not attending the meeting if Chandy was there. That should not have happened at all. We have a collective responsibility (to run the government),” Vijayan, a top leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) that leads the LDF, said.
Exposing cracks further, Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan of the CPI, who had crossed swords with Chandy earlier over the land grab charge, held a press conference in his adjacent office to reiterate his party’s stand.
“Yes, that was an extraordinary response to an extraordinary situation. Let there be no misinterpretation,” said the minister.
“We said we’ll keep away if he’s there. A minister offering to resign on condition is unheard of in a democracy. Let the people decide on its right and wrong. It’s not the individuals but positions that matter.”
Before the cabinet meeting, Chandy called on the chief minister at his residence along with T P Peethambaran, the NCP general secretary doubling as its state unit chief, and were closeted with Vijayan for half-an-hour.
The consensus among them was to buy time and move the Supreme Court to get the high court verdict quashed. But a signed copy of the judgment was not immediately available.
As the CPI toughened its stand and the crisis deepened, Chandy handed over his resignation to Peethambaran and left for his home near his controversial Lake Palace resort in the backwater getaway of Kuttanad in Alappuzha.
Chandy said the collector’s report had factual errors.
“In the high court verdict, one judge was not pleased because I filed the petition as minister Chandy. I did it as per the advice of my counsel. Once I get the judgment, tomorrow itself I will file an appeal in the Supreme Court,” said Chandy.
“The chief minister is convinced of my innocence, and he didn’t seek my resignation,” Chandy said, turning his ire on the CPI.
“He allowed me to quit as he was left with no other option. I resigned after getting an assurance that the seat will remain vacant.”
An anti-graft court in Kottayam last week asked the police’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to file a quick verification report on the charges in a month.
Speaking in the state assembly a few months back, Chandy had challenged the opposition to prove the allegations and offered to quit politics if they did.
He also claimed he was a well-meaning businessman who had made investments worth Rs1.5bn in tourism ventures in his home district.
However, his affidavit for last year’s elections says his total assets are worth only Rs85.6mn and, according to the income tax returns he filed the previous year (2014-15), his annual income was Rs401,240.
Chandy is the third minister in the 18-month LDF government to quit. Last year, senior CPM leader E P Jayarajan, who was considered the No2 in the cabinet, resigned on nepotism charges.
