Kollam: In an apparently ironical move, the INTUC has decided to march on the Vigilance office here in protest against including its leader R. Chandrasekharan as the prime accused in the case of multi-million-rupee corruption at the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation.

The protest plan on Friday has angered its state secretary Nedungolam Raghu, who decided to step down.

Mr Chandrasekharan is the first accused in the FIR filed by the Vigilance, which found, in its preliminary investigation, corruption to the tune of `2.86 crore in the purchase of raw cashew. He resigned as the KSCDC chairperson after a CBI probe was ordered.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and DCC President Kodikunnil Suresh and KPCC general secretary Sooranad Rajasekharan have come out against the move by the INTUC district committee saying such corruption cases should be legally countered and not on the street.

It could also negatively affect the image of the Congress party that had drawn a blank in the Assembly elections in the district as the scam was one of the reasons for the rout.

“If people facing corruption charges conduct marches on the probe agency, the murder accused would protest at police stations. Permitting such acts will lead to anarchy. Mr Chandrasekharan, who welcomed the inquiry at first, has now started fearing probe,” Kadakampally Manoj, the petitioner who got Vigilance probe ordered told DC.

It is learnt that Mr Chandrasekharan had delivered an emotional speech that no INTUC member even those from his district raised voice against him being accused of corruption and it prompted the decision.

The idea which was first opposed by INTUC executive member P.S. Pradeep in the district committee, however, district president N. Azhakesan supported the decision.