Solar scam: Chandy has no right to continue as CM, Yechury

New Delhi, July 17: Oommen Chandy has no right to continue as Chief Minister in the wake of solar panel scam that has hit the "credibility" of Kerala's UDF government, CPI (M) politbureau member Sitaram Yechury said today.

The Chief Minister and the UDF government are in the dock after the exposure of the solar panel scam, Yechury said.

Yechury alleged that Chandy's office had links with the perpetrators of the fraud involving the supply of solar equipments--Biju Radhakrishnan and Saritha Nair--who are in jail following complaints from businessmen and others who had been cheated by them.

"When evidence came to light of the chief minister having a personal involvement in the affair, he sought to deny any links. But the fact that the chief minister had a one-hour discussion with Biju Radhakrishnan and the presence of Saritha Nair in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi when the chief minister was attending a conference came to light puncturing his denials," Yechury said in an editorial in the latest issue of the CPI(M) organ People's Democracy.

He said the scam became murkier with various telephone calls of the suspects to the home minister and other ministers coming to light.

Yechury noted that a personal assistant of Chandy is now in custody after his links with the scamsters was established and three others belonging to the chief minister's office staff have been removed. Noting that the Chandy government has become synonymous with misrule, Yechury said the solar scam has hit the "credibility" of the UDF government and the chief minister.

"Democratic norms and morality require that the chief minister resign forthwith. Kerala is witnessing a resolute mass struggle to ensure that this happens," he added.

PTI