Kerala Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, who is facing encroachment allegations, on Wednesday resigned from the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet.
NCP leader TP Peethamabaran said the resignation letter has been handed over to Vijayan. "All the details will be told to you at 2 p.m," Peethamabaran said.
The development comes after the Kerala HC on Tuesday dismissed his petition challenging the report of the Alapuzha district collector, which had found that large scale violations of Kerala Land Conservation Act and Conservation of Paddy land and Wetland Act had been committed by the luxury lake resort owned by Chandy.
"Chandy's resignation letter has been forwarded to the Governor," Vijayan said while leaving his office.
Meanwhile, sources close to Chandy said he will approach the Supreme Court on Thursday and it has been decided that the slot meant for the Nationalist Congress Party in the Cabinet will be left vacant.
WHO IS THOMAS CHANDY?
Chandy is a three-time legislator representing Kuttanad in Alappuzha district.
With a business empire in Kuwait, he first entered politics through the Democratic Indira Congress (DIC), a party floated by Congress veteran K. Karunakaran in 2005.
In the 2006 Assembly polls, DIC was an ally of the Congress-led UDF. After the polls, DIC merged with the NCP.
Chandy became a minister after his senior party colleague AK Saseendran had to quit after sleaze allegations surfaced against him.
Chandy is the third minister quitting the Kerala government in just 18 months. The first to go was Industries Minister EP Jayarajan who quit last year. Saseendran followed in March this year.
