At least seven CPI(M) ministers have threatened to quit after VS Achuthanandan defended governor RS Gavai for disregarding the cabinet’s advice in the Lavalin case.
At least seven CPI(M) ministers have threatened to quit after Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan defended governor RS Gavai for disregarding the cabinet’s advice in the Lavalin case.
Gavai overruled the cabinet’s advice and gave his nod for prosecuting CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, under scanner for a decade-old power plant repair contract. A day after his ministers termed the decision “unusual”, “mysterious” and “politically motivated”, the CM said governors could use their discretion. “In India, certain governors, seeing that they have discretion and studying facts, have taken similar stands. There’s nothing surprising in it,” he told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
The cabinet will discuss the issue next week, after the ministers have perused the letter from Raj Bhavan. The 35-page report reached the CM’s office on Tuesday after home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan rapped the governor for keeping the cabinet in the dark by communicating his decision directly to the CBI.
Balakrishnan had accused the governor of being mala fide. “The governor is the head of the government. He referred it to the cabinet because he could not take a decision independently… He sought the cabinet’s advice. Why did he reject it?” he asked.
Achuthanandan, however, said, “Governors have taken similar stand under their discretionary power and we have precedents of the Supreme Court accepting it,” he said.
He could now find the going tough with all but three party ministers reportedly requesting the leadership to relieve them of ministerial duties. Finance minister Thomas Isaac met party leaders in Delhi, but general secretary Prakash Karat denied the report. Even Balakrishnan dismissed the report as false.
The opposition, meanwhile, lauded the chief minister. “The CM is not here to echo what the party says. He is the CM of this state. The stand he has taken is very appropriate,” UDF convener PP Thankachan said.
Congress spokesman MM Hassan said, “We request the chief minister to recommend the dismissal of the home minister, who violated the oath.”
The cabinet said last month that there wasn’t sufficient proof against Vijayan, but the governor bought the CBI’s arguments on Sunday. Asked if it was an endorsement of his view, Achuthanandan said the governor must have understood the facts. He seems to be having the last laugh for now.
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