Noose tightens for Thomas Chandy as revenue ministry demands stern action from CM

Revenue minister E Chandrasekharan on Tuesday demanded strong action against transport minister Thomas Chandy on the basis of the Alappuzha district collector's report, which confirmed the encroachment allegations against him.

Chandrasekharan met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and informed him that Alappuzha collector TV Anupama's report mentions the numerous violations of revenue laws that Chandy has committed over the years.

With the report indicting Chandy of land grab around his plush Lake Palace Resort in Alappuzha and the opposition Congress and BJP demanding his ouster, CM Pinarayi will have to take a call on the issue.

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While the contents of the report are yet to be made public, according to reliable sources, Anupama has also recommended strong action against officials who have remained "mute witness to the violations" that have taken place in the resort located around Marthandam Lake.

The reports finds several lapses on the part of the former collector Padmakumar, the tehsildar and district administration, which will be considered as serious violations of the law.

While Pinarayi has all along being strongly defending Chandy both inside and outside the Assembly, the issue is set to figure before the CM and his cabinet on Wednesday.

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Collector Anupama on Monday night handed over her report to minister Chandrasekharan, who is one of the four CPI nominees in the CPM-led cabinet. The CPI has now left it to Pinarayi to take a decision.

State Congress president MM Hassan has been demanding tough action against Chandy including his ouster, while opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited the site and has also demanded that Chandy should quit or Pinarayi should remove him from the post. State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan has also called for Chandy's ouster.

Chandy, who has all along been saying he has done no wrong, is now trying to wriggle out by approaching the court and expects to stall any immediate action by getting a favourable order.