ALAPPUZHA: The chief minister should immediately seek the resignation of Transport Minister Thomas Chandy in the wake of allegations of backwater encroachment and violation of land rules by him, KPCC president M M Hassan has said.

He was inaugurating a protest march organised by the District Congress Committee to Chandy’s home at Pooppally on Friday demanding his resignation. “The Chief Minister is protecting the corrupt. He has become a landlord while his Revenue Minister has been reduced to a tenant. He should demand the resignation of the Transport Minister, or else we will be forced to seek the resignation of the Chief Minister,” Hassan said.

Later, a minor scuffle broke out between the protesters and security personnel after the police stopped the march at Pooppally.

Meanwhile, Lake Palace Resort, which is at the centre of the controversy, has refused to produce any documents of its buildings sought by the Alappuzha municipality.

“The municipality has received a defiant reply. It says they had carried out the construction after producing all relevant documents and obtaining clearances from the civic body. The letter says that they don’t have any responsibility to produce the documents again,” Alappuzha municipal chairman Thomas Joseph told The Hindu on Friday. “The reply is unacceptable. As per the Kerala Municipal Building Rules, we will serve another notice to Lake Palace Resort,” Joseph said.