With controversy brewing over Advocate-General K.P. Dandapani’s submissions in the Kerala high court on the Mullaperiyar dam issue, chief minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday asked him to appear before the Cabinet and convince the council of ministers of his position.
Though Dandapani met Chandy at his home at Puthupally near Kottayam and explained that he had not made any statements in the court weakening the state’s case, Mr Chandy asked him to come before the Cabinet on Wednesday.
“I have asked AG to explain to the cabinet when it meets next Wednesday what he had actually said in the court,” Mr Chandy told reporters after Mr Dandapani called on him.
As the AG issue has snowballed into a political row when a high voltage campaign is on for a new dam in place of the 116-year-old structure, the Cabinet is also meeting tomorrow evening to take stock of the situation. Industries minister and IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty said in Kannur that Cabinet would discuss all these issues on Monday. Mr Dandapani told Mr Chandy whatever he said in the court was solely based on information as well as records given by the revenue department and additional chief secretary, sources close to Mr Dandapani said in Kochi. While making statements in the court, Mr Dandapani said three downstream dams of Idukki, Kulava-muvu and Cheruthoni could hold the waters of Mullaperiyar.
***
Cong leadership intervenes, chiru mellows down
C.R. GOWRI SHANKER
HYDERABAD, DEC. 4
Actor-turned-politician K. Chiranjeevi, who had stated on Saturday that he was unhappy with the Cong-ress’ attitude towards him and his MLAs, mellowed down after the Congress leadership intervened on Sunday. Mr Chiranjeevi and his 17 MLAs skipped the Assembly session and met at the former’s Jubilee Hills residence for several hours before agreeing to support the Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the no-confidence motion moved by the Telugu Desam in Assembly.
Mr Chiranjeevi agreed to issue a whip to his MLAs to vote against the motion on Monday. This was necessary as the merger formalities with the Congress are yet to be completed and Praja Rajyam is still a separate entity. The no-confidence motion will be taken up for discussion and voting on Monday. CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy spoke to Mr Chiranjeevi and assured that all differences would be settled after the Assembly session.