Thiruvananthapuram: First they called it 'unfortunate', then 'politically motivated' and now the CPM has said that the Governor's decision to give the CBI permission to prosecute its chief in Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan is 'a constitutional excess'.
Kerala Home Minster Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that the Governor flouted rules by going against the Cabinet in the SNC Lavalin case.
"When the Cabinet decided after AG's advise not to prosecute, in what capacity did the Governor change the Cabinet's decision and allow prosecution? It is a serious constitutional issue," said Balakrishnan.
In the last two days, the Kerala CPM leadership has been seeking support of the CPI in its fight to save Pinarayi Vijayan who is accused of wrongfully awarding a contract to Canadian company SNC Lavalin for renovation of two power plants as power minister 12 years ago which let on to be termed as a multi-crore scandal.
"If a leader is accused of something, why is he hesitating to face it in court and come out clean?" said Ramesh Chennitala, president, KPCC.
While the CBI is getting the chargesheet against Pinarayi Vijayan ready, the top CPM comrade has remained silent so far about the developments in the case, in which he is accused number nine.
"Absolutely there is no question of him stepping down. The bourgeoisie landlord state has registered a case against our party secretary and do you think we will be removing him?" said Thomas Isaac, Finance Minister, Kerala.
Vijayan has spent the last two days in his party office busy getting legal advise and for now, he is letting his faction in the Cabinet to do the talking.