Kerala leaders slam Chidambaram’s speech on dam

Saturday, 17 December 2011: Cutting across political lines, leaders in Kerala today reacted sharply to home minister P Chidamabaram’s statement that the Assembly bypoll due in Piravom segment was the real reason for rising tempers over the Mullaiperiyar issue.
Hitting out at Chidambaram, state water resources minister PJ Joseph demanded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drop him from the Cabinet as his speech in Chennai amounted to “breach of oath” taken while joining the Union Cabinet.
Terming the Kerala government’s apprehension over safety of the Mullaiperiyar dam as “unnecessary”, home minister P Chidambaram today claimed it was borne out of “bypoll fear”.
“It is an unnecessary fear. It is not even a temporary or a permanent fear. It is only a bypoll fear,” Chidambaram said.
Joseph, who belongs to the Kerala Congress (M), a key partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF, said Chidambaram had lost his right to continue in the Union Cabinet after making his statement.
KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala termed Chidambaram’s statement as “extremely unfortunate” as it came at a time when the Prime Minister was taking initiative to solve the issue.
The impropriety of the statement would be brought to the Prime Minister’s notice, Chennithala said in a statement. CPI-M leader and state Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan also wanted Chidambaram to be dropped from the Union cabinet.
Congress MPs from Kerala MI Shanawas and PT Thomas, senior party leader VM Sudheeran, CPI-M politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and former water resources minister and RSP leader NK Premachandran also slammed Chidambaram’s statement.

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