On Monday, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said the Left constituent would do well to do some “critical introspection” for themselves about the way two of its ministers had to go in succession, within a year. CPM Central Committee member and Minister for Local Administration Paloli Mohemmed Kutty, meanwhile, shot down Joseph’s ministerial aspirations. Paloli declared publicly that there was no question of letting Joseph become a minister again, unless and until he was fully cleared of the charge.

An angry Joseph took no time to slam the CPM minister, claiming he had not yet asked to be taken back into the Cabinet. He also offered to hand the public works portfolio to the CPM, if it so wished.

If Joseph can’t get into the Cabinet and the CPM doesn’t want to take up his offer either, his party would need to choose one of the only two remaining MLAs that it has for the job, Mons Joseph and V Surendran Pillai. As things stand, neither are being seriously considered.