CM misused official residence for criminal conspiracy, says VS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Chief Minister Oommen Chandy misused his official residence to conspire again a hapless lady who, according to her, was tormented by her minister husband for 16 long years, alleged opposition leader V S Achuthanandan.

VS told reporters that when Yamini Thankachy came to make a complaint of harassment to the chief minister, he did nothing and instead put her in the dock. Chandy was running away from the real issue of how he cheated the estranged wife of his former cabinet colleague, K B Ganesh Kumar.

Forests Minister Ganesh Kumar, 46, submitted his resignation to Chandy late Monday night after his estranged wife, Yamini Thankachi, accused him of domestic violence. She also lodged a complaint with the police.

"Chandy used his official residence to plot against Thankachy, who now has a case against her lodged by Kumar. While action should have been taken against Kumar to protect the right of the woman, she now finds herself in dire straits. Chandy should quit," Achuthanandan said.

The Crime Branch has been asked to probe the cases that have been registered against the former minister -- who, in turn, has charged his wife with assault.

Kumar, the only member in the assembly from the Kerala Congress (B), a minor partner in the United Democratic Front government, first made scandalous news when a local newspaper reported that a minister had been beaten up by his lover's wife.

Although the newspaper did not divulge his identity, the chief whip of the government, P C George, made a statement that the minister in question was Kumar.

The government, with a slim three-member majority in the 140-seat house, has been rocked by the scandal.

Agitations will be strengthened in the coming days and the opposition is united in this case, he said. CPI leader and former minister C Divakaran said Cliff House was misused for Ganesh to lodge a complaint.