Thiruvananthapuram:
As Kerala witnesses a dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar scam, Mr Chandy today put up a brave front saying he has nothing to hide.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Chandy said, "My office has continuous live webcast, I have nothing to hide. The opposition is desperately trying to link me to the solar scam."
"The Opposition is scared of my growing popularity with the masses," he added.
The solar scam relates to Sarita Nair, Biju Radhakrishnan and Shalu Menon, all arrested, duping several businessmen of crores of rupees, allegedly through their political connections.
The opposition wants the chief minister to resign over his alleged links with Sarita Nair, who is accused of cheating people by promising solar panels at low costs. The two accused, along with Shalu Menon, a dancer, allegedly used the chief minister's name to dupe people.
The opposition is also demanding a judicial probe after a businessman, Sreedharan Nair, claimed he had met Mr Chandy at his office along with Sarita Nair.
The Chief Minister, in his defence today, said, "If Mr Sreedharan Nair had invested his money after assurances from me, I should have been the first person he would approach after he was duped. That he never did so proves that we never discussed solar panels."
Meanwhile, the LDF-affiliated groups, braving the rains, sat on a dharna outside the Secretariat. Shops remained closed and public modes of transport were kept away from the roads. The LDF, agitating for the past two weeks, succeeded in getting the Assembly adjourned sine-die on Tuesday.
Mr Chandy claims that the UDF is united although there has been speculation that the confidential call records were leaked because of infighting within the Kerala Congress.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Chandy said, "My office has continuous live webcast, I have nothing to hide. The opposition is desperately trying to link me to the solar scam."
"The Opposition is scared of my growing popularity with the masses," he added.
The solar scam relates to Sarita Nair, Biju Radhakrishnan and Shalu Menon, all arrested, duping several businessmen of crores of rupees, allegedly through their political connections.
The opposition wants the chief minister to resign over his alleged links with Sarita Nair, who is accused of cheating people by promising solar panels at low costs. The two accused, along with Shalu Menon, a dancer, allegedly used the chief minister's name to dupe people.
The opposition is also demanding a judicial probe after a businessman, Sreedharan Nair, claimed he had met Mr Chandy at his office along with Sarita Nair.
The Chief Minister, in his defence today, said, "If Mr Sreedharan Nair had invested his money after assurances from me, I should have been the first person he would approach after he was duped. That he never did so proves that we never discussed solar panels."
Meanwhile, the LDF-affiliated groups, braving the rains, sat on a dharna outside the Secretariat. Shops remained closed and public modes of transport were kept away from the roads. The LDF, agitating for the past two weeks, succeeded in getting the Assembly adjourned sine-die on Tuesday.
Mr Chandy claims that the UDF is united although there has been speculation that the confidential call records were leaked because of infighting within the Kerala Congress.
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