By IANS,
Idukki (Kerala) : Former Kerala minister P.J. Joseph, who had resigned nearly three years ago after being accused of molesting a woman, will be back in his post soon after being given a clean chit by a court earlier this year.
Public Works Minister Mons Joseph Monday said at a news conference in Kochi that he would resign to make way for P.J. Joseph, chairman of the Kerala Congress (Joseph), which is part of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Mons Joseph said this soon after news came that P.J. Joseph has accepted his party’s decision that he should take over as minister again.
“The day I took over as minister, I had made it clear that the day my leader comes back, I will quit. In fact, it was I who has put this up at the party meeting. So, I am ready to quit any time,” said Mons Joseph.
Speaking to reporters here, P.J. Joseph said he would abide by the party decision.
The case dates back to 2006 when the media took up the issue in a big way. P.J. Joseph, the then public works minister, is alleged to have misbehaved with a woman co-passenger on a flight from Chennai to Kochi.
He first denied that any such thing happened, but soon succumbed to intense pressure and in September 2006 announced his resignationn from the cabinet. Senior party colleague T.U. Kuruvilla replaced him as minister.
Kuruvilla’s innings did not last long and in August 2007, following a land scam allegedly involving his children, he too had to resign, making way for Mons Joseph.
However, in May this year, a court in Tamil Nadu gave a clean chit to P.J. Joseph.
The date for his entry in the cabinet will now be fixed by the LDF and reports indicate it could happen in the first week of August.