THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the delay in finalising its candidate list for the Kerala assembly polls threatening to cost the party dear, the Congress high command had no option but acknowledge that chief minister Oommen
Chandy
remained its best bet in trying to retain power in the state.
Though the list is yet to be announced, party sources said on Sunday that the Congress high command has caved in to Chandy's demand that unproven allegations and continuously winning from a seat should not be reasons to deny someone a ticket. He was opposed by KPCC president V M Sudheeran. This would mean Chandy's confi dants like Adoor Prakash, K Babu and Benny Behanan will figure in the list.
However, on the very day that the standoff with Sudheeran ended, Solar Scam accused
Saritha Nair deemed fit to make an allegation that the chief minister had demanded and obtained sexual favours from her in return for promoting her business interests. Describing details of the sexual encounter with the CM in the resting room adjacent to the conference hall at Cliff House, Saritha told TOI on Sunday , “On that day , it happened unexpectedly . My benefit in return was his help in all these [business] matters.Other details have been mentioned in my statement before the Solar Scam Enquiry Commission.“
Earlier in Delhi, Chandy had warned that he would stay away from the fray if any of his ministers were denied tickets and left the capital on Sunday morning without waiting for the list, thus forcing the hand of Rahul Gandhi and AK Antony .
“I am ready to go by the decision of the party high command,“ Sudheeran told reporters in Delhi.
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