Thiruvananthapuram: Congress in Kerala today demanded resignation of state Transport minister Thomas Chandy, against whom a vigilance court has ordered "quick verification."  

"Chandy should immediately resign.Chief Minister was protecting him. If Chandy does not resign, the chief minister should oust him," Chennithala told reporters in Kannur. A businessman-turned politician and NCP's MLA from Kuttanad, Chandy was inducted into the LDF cabinet in April this year in place of former Transport Minister A K Saseendran who resigned over allegations of sexual misconduct.  

Meanwhile, activists of Yuva Morcha, BJP's youth wing, took out a march to the secretariat here demanding Chandy's resignation.   Police used water cannons to disperse the activists. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declined to respond when media personnel sought his reaction on the vigilance court order.  

The Kottayam Vigilance Court today directed the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to verify whether Chandy had violated rules to construct a road through paddy fields to a lake resort owned by him in Alappuzha district.  

The court directed the bureau to file the report in a month. Chandy has been facing allegations for allegedly filling paddy fields for the construction of a parking space and encroaching the Marthandam backwaters.PTI