Group equations had no role in selection: Chandy

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Chandy, after announcing the names of nine more Congress ministers for his fledgling Cabinet, said the list was forwarded to the Congress high command after several rounds of discussions in Kerala and New Delhi. 'Group' equations had no role in the selection, Chandy said when asked about the absence of V D Satheesan, who has made his presence felt in the Assembly, in the final list. Party priorities rather than extraneous considerations had played a role in the selection, he said. Chandy avoided a direct answer to whether the Cabinet would be expanded, but said that the present decision was to confine it to 20. Defending the inclusion of Adoor Prakash, a former Food and Civil Supplies Minister, who is facing a Vigilance inquiry, in the Cabinet, Chandy said it was for the court to decide whether Prakash was in the wrong or not.
To a question on pressure from the NSS and the Nadar community on the party, Chandy said it cannot be seen as an interference in the formation of the Cabinet. ''Everybody has the freedom to talk to the Congress,'' he said. V S Achuthanandan had no right to tell him not to include tainted men in his Cabinet, Chandy said. ''Who is blaming the UDF? When I was Chief Minister and the High Court had made adverse remarks against the minister K P Viswanathan, he promptly stepped down. SC later exonerated him. When allegations were levelled against K K Ramachandran master, I accepted his resignation. What right has Achuthanandan to say this,'' he said.