Solar scam: Cong closes ranks to counter LDF attack

With the UDF Government headed by it in Kerala coming under increasing attack from opposition LDF over the solar scam, Congress today decided to close ranks and counter the campaign unleashed by CPI(M) and its allies for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's resignation.
A meeting of the party-government co-ordination panel held at the KPCC office here worked out strategies to deflect the opposition onslaught through media as well as in public.
"Congress and UDF will stay united and expose the false propaganda being unleashed by the LDF," KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala told reporters after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Chandy and Chennithala had a meeting to take stock of the situation.

The Congress move to launch a counter-offensive came a day after the party decided to approach the high command for a solution to defuse the crisis that has gripped the UDF after the scam surfaced a few weeks ago.
The move has fuelled speculation that a cabinet and organisational revamp is on the cards with induction of Chennithala into the ministry with a key portfolio.

Meanwhile, addressing the protesters in Kozhikode, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said the LDF would not give up its campaign till Chandy resigned and the crisis was not going to be resolved through a cabinet reshuffle.

Solar scam pertains to financial cheating of huge sums by the prime accused Saritha Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan promising investors solar energy solutions after claiming they had influence in government quarters.
The issue took a serious political turn with the arrest of a close personal aide of Chandy and removal of two others from his office for their alleged links with the scamsters.
Adding a sensational dimension to the scandal, danseuse and tele actress Shalu Menon and former Public Relations Department Director A Firoz were also arrested in related cases.
A special investigation team (SIT) headed by an ADGP is investigating as many as 30 cases registered in various parts of the state in connection with the scam.