Solar scam heat reaches Delhi; Cabinet reshuffle in Kerala soon?

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: The heat over the solar scam in Kerala has reached New Delhi as the Congress top brass is engaged in hectic parleys with state's party chief Ramesh Chennithala who in the national capital. Sources say that a Cabinet reshuffle might soon take place.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is under fire after allegations that a fraudster couple that cheated several people of large sums of money on the promise of providing solar panels at subsidised rates was found to have close links with members of the chief minister's personal staff and some Congress ministers.

One of the close aides of Mr Chandy has been arrested in the case and the Opposition has been demanding Chief Minister's resignation.

"We are all bound by the decision of our party high command. All of us will abide by it," the chief minister told reporters on Sunday as he prepared to take the flight to Delhi.

Mr Chandy had earlier said that he will not resign as the Chief Minister after being backed by Sonia Gandhi and Union minister AK Antony. But the Kerala High Court's critical observations against his government reportedly created a new 'wave of concern within the coalition' in the state.

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Sources say Mr Chandy wants Mr Chennithala's entry into his Cabinet as he and the group supporting him believe that it would give a breather to Congress-led United Democratic Front government. The Chief Minister is learnt to have even offered him the key Home portfolio, something that Mr Chennilatha sought when he made an attempt to enter the state Cabinet some months ago. However, a faction of legislators who owe allegiance to Mr Chandy thwarted that attempt.

Sources point out that Mr Chennithala might be wary of joining the Cabinet at a time when Mr Chandy's government is in the thick of a controversy.

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But if Mr Chennithala enters the Cabinet, other changes would be in the offing too - the state would need a new chief of its Congress unit. Among those considered front-runners for the post are VM Sudheeran, who has not held a post after his shock defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, and present Speaker of the Kerala Assembly G Karthikeyan.