Widespread protest against Chidambaram’s statement

Sunday, December 18, 2011: Cutting across political lines, leaders in Kerala reacted sharply to Home Minister P Chidamabaram’s statement that the Assembly by-poll due in Piravom segment was the real reason for rising tempers over the Mullaperiyar issue.
Hitting out at Chidambaram, State Water Resources Minister P.J. 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 Mullaperiyar dam as “unnecessary”, Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday claimed it was borne out of “by-poll fear.”
“It is an unnecessary fear. It is not even a temporary or a permanent fear. It is only a by-poll fear,” Chidambaram said.
Joseph, who belongs to the Kerala Congress (M), a key partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF, said Mr. 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, Mr. Chennithala said in a statement.
CPI(M) leader and state opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan also wanted Mr. Chidambaram to be dropped from the Union cabinet.
Congress MPs from Kerala M.I. Shanawas and P.T. Thomas, senior party leader V.M. Sudheeran, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and former water resources minister and RSP leader N.K. Premachandran also slammed Mr. Chidambaram’s statement.