Click to play videoThiruvananthapuram: In an apparent defiance of the party leadership's requests to soften his stand on CPI(M) state Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan broke his silence and made it clea that he would not defend his party colleague.
When asked at the usual press conference here after the weekly cabinet meeting as to what would be the government's stance on the CBI request seeking sanction to prosecute Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin corruption case, Achuthanandan refused to defend Vijayan and said the law department was examining the matter and a decision would be taken after submission of its report.
"Nothing other than the files seeking sanction to prosecute former KSEB Chairman K Mohanachandran and former Electricity joint secretary A Francis were before the cabinet and the same was now being examined by the law department," he
said.
Commenting on the politically sensitive case for the first time after the CBI approached the Kerala High Court, the chief minister said "I am saying what a person is supposed to say as per the Constitution. I will perform the duties entrusted to me under the Constitution."
Achuthanandan said that during his recent visit to Delhi he had conveyed to party General Secretary Prakash Karat his opinion on the political situation in the state and what decision should be taken.
The Kerala strong man is reported to have told the central leadership that the party's prospects would suffer if it faced the Lok Sabha polls with a leader accused in a corruption case at the helm.
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