Ex-Kerala Minister Ganesh Kumar threatens to quit assembly

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 8: In what is seen as pressure tactics to get back his cabinet berth, former Kerala Minister K B Ganesh Kumar has threatened to resign his Assembly membership.

Kumar, who was forced to quit the cabinet in April this year after the long-drawn discord with his estranged wife reached a flash point, has conveyed his decision to quit the Assembly membership to his father and Kerala Congress (B) Chairman R Balakrishna Pillai.

Reacting to reports in this regard, Pillai said he was not aware of the resignation but the party certainly had grievances as a partner of the UDF. "The front has promised us that Kumar will be taken back into the ministry once the cases against him are settled. Now six months are over and UDF has not honoured the promise.Our situation is that we have an MLA but no nominee in the cabinet," Pillai told reporters here today.

When reporters approached Kumar he refrained from giving a clear reply on the issue but did not refute reports that he had given the letter of resignation to the party chief. "Party chairman will explain all things" was his curt reply despite reporters persisting with the query.

Kumar, a film actor-turned politician and the lone MLA of Kerala Congress (B), represents Pathanapuram segment in Kollam district. He was holding Forest and Sports portfolios when he stepped down after his wife gave a police complaint accusing him of indulging in domestic violence.

However, later they decided to part following an out-of-court settlement and withdrew cases filed against each other. Reacting to the development, Kerala PCC president Ramesh Chennithala said he was aware only of what had been appearing in the media.

If the reports were true, the issue would be discussed by the UDF, he added. The UDF has 73 members in the 140-member House. If Kumar quits his membership, the strength of the ruling front would get reduced to 72, including Speaker, adding to the woes of the UDF ministry headed by Oommen Chandy surviving on a thin majority.

The threat from the Kerala Congress has come at a time when the Chandy government is already suffering from image crisis due to solar scam and escalation of factionalism in the state unit of the Congress.

Besides, Government Chief Whip P C George from Kerala Congress (M) has for quite some time been fulminating against the government day in and day out ignoring resentment from the Congress at the way he conducts himself.

PTI