Kerala: MLA embarrasses Chandy Govt, raises graft charges against party's PWD ministry

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 9: Congress-led UDF government in Kerala today faced embarrassment in the Assembly after an MLA in the treasury benches raised corruption charges against the Public Works Department Ministry headed by V K Ebrahim Kunju.

Former state minister K B Ganesh Kumar of Kerala Congress (B), who is not in good terms with the UDF after his exit from the Ministry last year, alleged that "the PWD Ministry, headed by the minister from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), is immersed in corruption."

Kumar raised the issue while speaking on a calling attention motion on the difficulties experienced by Ayyappa devotees on the non-repair of the Punalur-Muvattupuzha road, an important route leading to Sabarimala.

His outburst against the PWD Ministry triggered noisy scenes with IUML members objecting to the remarks and Congress members joining in. However, seizing the matter, CPI-M LDF opposition rallied behind Kumar on his demand for setting up an Assembly Committee to look into the charges.

Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan wanted to know whether the state government was ready to appoint an Assembly Committee to probe the charges against PWD Ministry.

C P Mohammed, who was in the Chair, objected to Kumar raising the corruption charges during calling attention holding that such issue had to be raised only after proper prior intimation.

Kumar, son of KC-B supermo R Balakrishna Pillai and lone MLA of the party in the House, alleged that three members in the Minister's staff indulged in corruption and the minister was not able to check them.

Denying the charges, Ebrahim Kunju alleged Kumar was raising the allegations with certain ulterior motives. He said there was no delay in repairing the roads to Sabarimala and regretted that Lord Ayyappa's name was being 'misused' for raising corruption charges in the Assembly.

Kunju also informed the House that there would not be any toll fee for roads leading to Sabarimala though it was planned under the Public-Private Partnership model.

PTI