Kerala Minister resigns over land deals

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 4: Kerala Public Works Minister T U Kuruvila today resigned from the State Cabinet, after the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) recommended to the 15-month-old Achuthanandan Government to order a judicial inquiry into the murky land deals involving his family members.

Mr Kuruvila handed over his resignation letter to Chief Minister V S Achutanandan at 2315 hrs as soon as the latter reached his official residence, Cliff House, after a visit to Kannur.

The decision of the second Kerala Congress (Joseph) nominee to resign from the Cabinet within a span of one year came on the eve of the crucial Assembly Session which begins tomorrow.

Mr Kuruvila assumed office a year ago after the then Works Minister and KC(J) Chairman P J Joseph resigned following allegations that he misbehaved with a woman co-passenger onboard an aircraft.

After holding five minutes talk with the Chief Minister and submitting his resignation, Mr Kurvila said, ''I will continue as a KC(J) MLA and work for strengthening the LDF.'' He said the KC(J) would decide on selecting a successor to him.

Speculations are rife that Mr Joseph wanted to come back to the Cabinet, but a group within the party reportedly suggested that it should be given to one of the two other party MLAs Mr Mons Joseph and Mr Surendran Pillai.

The KC(J)'s executive meeting would be held on September 15 to take a decision on this matter.

The trouble broke out for Mr Kuruvila after an NRI businessman alleged that the Minister's family members failed to execute a deal for the sale of 50.52 acre of land in Munnar. He was allegedly offered the land for the construction of resorts in the emerging tourist destination.

Later, it was found that construction activities were not allowed in the area where the LDF Government had launched a demolition drive against illegal structures.

Revenue authorities has found that the land transaction by Mr Kuruvila's family members at Rajakumari Village was done dubiously after tampering with records and violating revenue rules.

Mr Kuruvila's family members, who purchased land from 19 persons, had reportedly taken an advance of Rs 6.75 crore from Mr K G Abraham, managing director of the Kuwait-based Naser M al-Baddah and Partner General Trading and Contracting.

The decision to submit the resignation was taken after Mr Kuruvila's Party -- Kerala Congress (Joseph) -- approved the decision of the Minister in its meeting yesterday. KC(J) Chairman P J Joseph announced Mr Kuruvila's decision to resign after the Party's working committee meeting. Regarding a new Minister for the party in the LDF Government, he said the party's executive meeting on September 15 would decide on it.

Mr Kuruvila, who had been allegedly involved in the questionable land deals, had expressed his willingness to resign soon after the ruling Left Democratic Front demanded a judicial inquiry into his role in the deals.

Even Mr Achuthanandan had said it would be fair if the Minister stepped down from the Ministry during the course of a judicial inquiry into the land deals involving his family members.

He had said that Mr Kuruvila could come back to the Cabinet if he was proved innocent in the whole episode.

After the issue came to the fore, the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) demanded initiating criminal case against Mr Kuruvila and said the Minister would not be allowed to take part in the coming Assembly session.

Trouble began for Mr Kuruvila after an NRI businessman alleged the Minister's family members failed to execute a deal for the sale of 50.52 acre of land in Munnar. He was allegedly offered the land for the construction of resorts in the emerging tourist destination. Later, it was found that construction activities were not allowed in the area where the LDF Government had launched a demolition drive against illegal structures.

Revenue authorities has found that the land transaction by Mr Kuruvila's family members at Rajakumari Village was done dubiously after tampering with records and violating revenue rules.

Mr Kuruvila's family members, who purchased land from 19 persons, had taken an advance of Rs 6.75 crore from Mr K G Abraham, managing director of the Kuwait-based Naser M al-Baddah and Partner General Trading and Contracting.

Kerala Congress (J) has four members in the State Assembly.

Besides Kuruvila and Joseph, the other MLAs of the party are Mons Joseph and V Surendran Pillai.

UNI