UDF inducts 13 more ministers,3 under scanner for corruption

On Monday,13 new ministers were inducted into the ministry nine from the Congress,three from the IUML and one from the Kerala Congress M. With this,the ministry strength has risen to 20.

Health Minister Adoor Prakash of the Congress has been chargesheeted in a Rs 25 lakh bribery case.

Senior Congress leader from Thrissur C N Balakrishnan is an accused in a case regarding financial irregularities co-operative bank in Thrissur district where he had served as the president. Curiously,he was allotted the co-operation portfolio.

Local Administration Minister M K Muneer of IUML is facing a corruption case related to sanctioning of road works flouting procedures during his term as public works minister in the previous government.

Kerala Congress J veteran T M Jacob is facing a corruption case dating back to his tenure as irrigation minister in the UDF government from 1991 to 96. Jacob was acquitted in the case,but the Left government had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court.

The LDF government had decided to conduct a probe against Kerala Congress M leader P J Joseph regarding discrepancies in deals for a road project. But the present government prevented the decision becoming an order last week since Joseph was slated to become the irrigation minister.