Congress backs Chandy over sexual favour allegation

The Congress on Thursday backed Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over charges that he sought sexual favours in the Rs.6 crore solar panel scam and said there was "no semblance of truth" in the allegations made against its leader.

Congress spokesperson Rajeev Gowda said here that an attempt was being made to "muddy the waters" by the person who was the prime accused in the scam.

Biju Radhakrishnan, prime accused in the scam, while testifying before a judicial probe committee, alleged on Wednesday that he had given Rs.5.50 crore as bribe to Chandy.

He also said he was in possession of a video showing Saritha Nair, the second accused in the scam, in a compromising position with Chandy and another video of Nair, again in a compromising position, with two cabinet colleagues of Chandy.

Gowda said the party rejects everything said by Radhakrishnan. "There is no semblance of truth to any of his charges."

The Left opposition had raised the issue in the Kerala Assembly on Thursday.

Chandy had responded by saying that his conscience was clear.

"I will not fall a victim to blackmail politics and I will walk with my head held high... it (the allegations) has pained me. I have done nothing wrong."

"Radhakrishnan is angry towards my government because we started a probe into the murder of his wife in which he (Radhakrishnan) is an accused," Chandy said.