People's Democracy

KERALA NEWSLETTER

Balakrishna Wants Son Back in Cabinet

N S Sajith

ADDING to the worries of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and its state government, Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishnan Pillai demanded on May 27 re-induction of his son, K B Ganesh Kumar, into the ministry. Ganesh Kumar was forced to quit the ministry after the charges of domestic violence was brought against him two months back.

Pillai handed over a letter to the chief minister, Oommen Chandy, at Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital, demanding that his son must be re-inducted into the cabinet. The letter said that there was no legal hurdle in doing so, as no case was now pending against Ganesh. Chandy told that he would respond to the demand in the next two days.

Pillai, who met reporters after meeting Chandy, said, "Re-induction of Ganesh Kumar is only a formality as there is no criminal case pending against him."

Interestingly, the government side’s chief whip and Kerala Congress (M) leader, P C George, has said that he would not allow Ganesh Kumar to become a minister again. "More than 20 families were shattered due to Ganesh Kumar. I will go to any extent to obstruct the re-induction of Ganesh Kumar.”

Ganesh Kumar, an actor turned politician who held the forest and cinema portfolios before his ouster, resigned in the wake of his wife’s allegations that he was perpetrating domestic violence. She had publicly stated that Ganesh had had extramarital relationships and that she had been undergoing severe torture from her estranged husband.

Later, however, the couple reached a settlement and she withdrew the complaints against Ganesh Kumar. They also mutually agreed on divorce and on partitioning the family assets.

Ironically, in the past, Pillai had pressurised the chief minister to drop his son from the cabinet, alleging that he had been disregarding the party's interests. Later both of them had worked out a ceasefire.

RAMESH: DEPUTY

CM POST UNCERTAIN

At the end of hectic late night parleys in the KPCC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on May 28 night, Ramesh Chennithala, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, bowed down to the pressure mounted by the chief minister, Oommen Chandi, on the issue of the home portfolio for the former. Ramesh’s long cherished aspiration to become the home minister of Kerala has thus been shattered miserably, as Oommen Chandi has once again proved his clout within the party.

Oommen Chandi also informed Ramesh that if the party high command permitted, he was ready to make Ramesh the deputy chief minister but that the home ministry would be looked after by himself. He offered the revenue minister’s post for the KPCC president.

However, as soon as an offer of the deputy chief minister’s post was made by the chief minister, the second largest constituent of the ruling UDF came out in massive protest. Muslim League leader P K Kunjalikkutty said that his party had every right to get the deputy chief minister’s post.  

Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani also reacted by saying that that a thorough discussion was needed inside the UDF on the issue of the deputy chief minister’s post.

Ramesh Chennithala, who organised a Kerala march from Kasargode in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south earlier this month, had announced that there would be a huge change in the Kerala politics, and then he unleashed all-out efforts to get the home portfolio. But a concerted move from the chief minister and the Muslim League has made the future of Ramesh uncertain.

“Discussions have to take place in the UDF and also at the level of the high command before arriving at a final decision,” said Ramesh Chennithala. “No final decision has been taken so far. The details of the talks will be conveyed to the high command,” maintained a communiqué issued by the chief minister’s office around midnight.

The very next day morning, Oommen Chandy said that the settlement was subject to the decision of the Congress high command. “I cannot take a decision until the high command permits,” he added.

MANIK SARKAR AT

DYFI CONFERENCE

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and the chief minister of Tripura, Manik Sarkar, recently said that the Congress was awaiting a  massive defeat in the general elections, just as the BJP has heavily lost in the Karnataka assembly polls. He said so while inaugurating a huge youth rally, held in Hugo Chavez Nagar (EMS Stadium at Alappuzha) on May 23, marking the conclusion of the state conference of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

Sarkar pointed out that though the Congress had managed to win in Karnataka, it could raise its vote share by a dismal one per cent. The Janata Dal (Secular), led by H D Devegowda, a former prime minister, has proved to be a strong force in the state. The Congress ascended to the power only due to multilateral contests.

Today, the very foundation of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress is hollowing day by day. The people of India are fed up with the corruption scams and the anti-people policies of the Congress. The Trinamul Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have already deserted the UPA. Sharad Pawar, leader of another constituent of the UPA, has announced that he would not contest the next election, as he has foreseen the impending and sure defeat.

On the other hand, Sarkar added, the plight of the BJP is also miserable. In Karnataka it finished third. Bihar chief minister and JD(U) leader, Nitish Kumar, has threatened that his party would quit the NDA if Modi was projected as the prime ministerial candidate. There are indications that the INLD in Haryana and Siva Sena in Maharashtra are also thinking about quitting the BJP led alliance.

The relevance of the Left movement needs to be highlighted in this context. Youth in the country should wake up to the call of the Left movement, he urged.

During his itinerary, Manik Sarkar also attended a seminar on the same day on Secular India: Problems and Possibilities, organised by the C Bhaskaran Foundation in Kochi. Here he expressed concern that an evil design to shatter the unity of the people on the basis of caste and religion was being practised, while corruption and inflation have become the order of the day, giving rise to a Shining India for a miniscule section of the affluent and a Deteriorating India for the vast mass of the common people. However, he expressed confidence that a viable alternative to the Congress as well as BJP is bound to emerge in the country through consistent struggles for the people’s cause. The country is moving forward in the direction where a democratic and secular alternative is bound to emerge through struggles based on the people’s issues, he said.

Dinesh Mani, secretary of the CPI(M)’s Eranakulam district committee, presided over the seminar. Dr Mridul Eapen, P Rajiv (a member of parliament) and Thulasi Bhaskaran also attended the seminar.