Thiruvananthapuram: Though many think Oommen Chandy is passing through a turbulent phase in his four-decade-old political career, the Kerala Chief Minister says he has seen worse times.
Since last month, Chandy has been in the eye of a storm, facing flak from the opposition CPI-M for his alleged links with a "con-couple" who are now behind bars in a cheating case. The CPI-M has been baying for his resignation.
"This is nothing compared to the ruckus created by the CPI-M in the mid-1980s against me. During 1982 to 1987 when I was a minister, the CPI-M led by EK Nayanar and MV Raghavan foisted a fabricated case of selling forest wood on me," Chandy told a news agency.
"To prove that I have done no wrong, I announced in the assembly that I would face a judicial probe. That was the last time in the state that a sitting high court judge was called to conduct the probe. By the end of our tenure, the judge submitted his report, in which my name has not even been mentioned once. I was not even called to testify," said Chandy.
Chandy has been representing the Puthupally Assembly constituency since 1970 without ever tasting defeat. He has held practically every post in the government, from being a minister on numerous occasions as well as leader of opposition. This is his second tenure as chief minister.
"I have always moved with the people irrespective of what position I hold. People are my strength. They know that I will not let them down," he said.
"The present impasse is nothing but a political one and my hands are clean. I have done no wrong. Time will prove that. It is only a question of waiting a bit more," said Chandy.
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.