No need for Oommen Chandy to resign: AICC

The Congress on Thursday dismissed demands for the resignation of Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy in the wake of a vigilance court ordering registration of an FIR against him and power minister Arayadan Mohammed in the solar scam.

“It is election time in Kerala, mischievous and malicious allegations will continue to fly... No need for the Kerala chief minister to resign now,” Congress chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

In reply to a volley of questions, he made a spirited defence of Mr Chandy insisting that already a judicial commission has been set up on the issue and the chief minister has subjected himself to the inquiry, undergoing a day-long interrogation.

Claiming that there has been “no wrongdoing by the chief minister or any other minister”, he said that the party was “open to conduct of any inquiry”. “Not a rupee of benefit was given by the Congress government in Kerala to any member of so called solar team. Not a rupee of loss has been cost, proved, even alleged as having been caused to exchequer of Kerala,” Mr Surjewala said.

Noting that the party would like to await the report of the judicial commission which was set up after consultations with the Opposition, he said that the finding of the commission “will be acceptable to us”.

“The Congress is of the opinion that there is no need for Kerala CM to resign at this stage. Chandy will discuss issues with all coalition partners as also with his colleagues, leaders of the Congress,” he said.

Besides, he said a detailed report will also be submitted to the Congress leadership in this regard. He said that all legal recourse will be sought to deal with the issue.

Seeking to cast doubts on the charges made by prime accused Saritha S. Nair, Mr Surjewala said that she had claimed in the past that Mr Chandy was “like my father” and that she was offered '10 crore by the Opposition if she levels false allegations against him. Besides, he said in the past, she had not raised a “single question” against the chief minister.

The BJP demanded the immediate resignation of Mr Chandy, saying he has no “locus standi” to be in his chair following state vigilance court’s order that an FIR be registered against him in the solar scam.

Hitting out at the Congress high command on this issue for “looking the other way” Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it should now “speak out”. “Vigilance court has asked that an FIR be filed. It cannot be graver than this. The BJP demands that the chief minister resign immediately. The CM has no locus standi to be in his chair,” she said.