Unrest in Kerala Congress over decade-old solar 'scam'

Unrest is brewing in Kerala Congress over the decade-old solar power project "scam" that rocked the Oommen Chandy-led Congress government in the state in 2013.

Even as a recent CBI report mentioned a conspiracy involving some CPM leaders in raising baseless sexual allegations against Chandy, the CPM managed to counter it by raking up remarks made by Congress leaders targeting Chandy when the "scam" surfaced.

The Congress that initially sought a probe into the conspiracy mentioned in the CBI report was later seen dilly dallying on the demand, triggering criticism from the CPM that the Congress was fearing a probe as it would expose the "conspiracies" hatched by them against Chandy.

There are also unconfirmed reports that Congress senior leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan sought action against party colleague and Chandy's loyalist K C Joseph for making remarks that the arrest of Chandy's personnel staff by the state police in the solar scam in 2013 could not have happened without the knowledge of the then home minister Radhakrishan.

The fresh row was kicked off after a recent CBI report exonerated Chandy of the sexual abuse allegation raised by the woman accused in the solar "scam". The report mentioned of conspiracy involving CPM leaders in leaking out a fabricated letter from a woman, where sexual allegation against Chandy was mentioned.

Though the Congress tried to use the report against the CPM, in a clever political move the ruling CPM allowed discussion on an adjournment motion notice on the matter moved by the Congress in the Assembly on Monday. During the debate the CPM raked up the earlier remarks made by Congress leaders against Chandy when the solar "scam" surfaced in 2013.

CPM's allegations of conspiracy against Chandy from within the Congress got a back up from a middleman, Nandakumar, who was also allegedly involved in the conspiracy as per the CBI's report. Nandakumar told a section of media on Wednesday that it was not just CPM leaders but two Congress leaders too wanted to leak out the fabricated letter against Chandy.

Even as opposition leader V D Satheesan initially demanded a probe into the conspiracy cited by CBI, the Congress-led United Democratic Front's convenor M M Hassan later said that no more probe was required and only action by the government was needed.

As this triggered criticism from CPM camps that the Congress was fearing a probe, the opposition leader demanded on Thursday that a probe by CBI should be launched into the conspiracy as they have no faith in a fair probe by state police especially since the chief minister was also allegedly involved in the conspiracy.