By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala’s ruling Congress Party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has begun hectic parleys amid speculations about the resignation of K B Ganesh Kumar, the forest, sports and cinema affairs minister.
The 47-year old film star-turned politician, who has strained relations with his father and wife, met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his close colleagues and held marathon talks.
“I have not put in my papers. I would let you know when the chief minister speaks out about it,” Kumar told reporters after meeting his aides in his office here. “I won’t do anything without letting you know. I’ll tell you everything when the time comes. I’m not playing a hide-and-seek game.”
The crisis erupted after the government’s chief whip P C George alleged Kumar was beaten up by his lover’s husband. George was at odds with the minister over reclamation of forestlands in Nelliampathy.
Kumar’s wife Dr Yamini Thankachi, who ended her estrangement after he was inducted into the cabinet by then chief minister A K Antony in 2006, also met Chandy in the morning and reportedly levelled domestic violence charges against him. The chief minister, however, refused to confirm or deny the reports.
“I’ll let you all know if there’s something that I can share with you. I have nothing to announce now,” the chief minister said, adding people in responsible positions should exercise restraint.
R Balakrishna Pillai, Kumar’s father and chairman of his Kerala Congress (B) party, has long been demanding the ouster of his son, the lone legislator of his party in the 140-member assembly. The UDF is likely to accept the demand now and keep Kumar out to save its image.
However, most of the cabinet ministers have closed their ranks firmly behind Kumar, saying the resignation of a minister over his personal life will set a bad precedent.
Meanwhile, both George and Kumar wrote letters to the chief minister explaining their positions. George threatened that he would be forced to reveal more if Kumar continues in office while the minister insisted George fell out with him after he refused to compromise on protection of forestlands.
According to a report in a newspaper which did not name Kumar, the woman’s husband, a non-resident Keralite, barged into the minister’s bungalow and slapped him after he was informed of the developments by the minister’s wife.