Tree-felling case: Cong. unsure of the strategy ahead

Satheesan, Chennithala call for judicial probe; some leaders prefer CBI inquiry

The Congress leadership in Kerala is still searching for ways to politically take on the Left Democratic Front government embroiled in the illegal tree-felling case. Already, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and his predecessor Ramesh Chennithala have sought either a judicial inquiry into the case or an investigation under the supervision of the High Court. However, a section of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leadership is rooting for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A senior functionary of the Congress said the KPCC had not discussed the issue threadbare and devised a common strategy to counter the government. Since both Mr. Satheesan and Mr. Chennithala had publicly demanded a judicial inquiry, the other leaders decided not to take a different view.