Thadathivila Radhakrishnan, State committee member of the Kerala Congress (B) said that his party workers are en bloc opposed to the style of functioning of the Forest Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, who is the party nominee in the Ommen Chandy Cabinet.
At a press conference here on Monday along with a crowd of Kerala Congress (B) leaders, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that in the last State committee meeting of the party held at Thiruvananthapuram not a single member representing the 140 constituencies in the State talked in favour of Mr. Ganesh Kumar.
It is in this backdrop that the party has decided to convene another State committee meeting at Eranakulam on February 7 to take the decision whether Mr. Ganesh Kumar should continue as minister or be withdrawn. If the minister continues ignoring the party, then the party men will think in terms of why should the party need such a minister, Mr. Radhakrishnan said.
He said that reports in circulation about a showdown between “father and son” triggering crisis in the party was totally baseless. “In reality it is a showdown between the party and Mr. Ganesh Kumar”. The party chairman R. Balakrishna Pillai was only airing the sentiments of the party workers.
Mr. Ganesh Kumar was not maintaining any relationship with the party.
The party workers are deeply hurt at the minister having an active pro CPI(M) Kerala State Teachers Association activist in his personal staff as additional private secretary. The three portfolios which the minister handles have various committees.
But in none of the committee is there a Kerala Congress (B) representation though all the appointments were made by the minister.
Mr. Ganesh Kumar does not respond to phone calls made by even State level leaders of the party. The minister also keeps away from party meetings, Mr. Radhakrishan said.
In sharp contrast to the approach of other ministers to their respective party workers, Mr.Ganesh Kumar did not even inform party workers on any of his public programmes. The Minister was making wild allegations against the party workers. He called upon the minister to be specific when such allegations are made and not vague.
When asked about Mr. Ganesh Kumar’s performance as a minister, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that the party does not allege that the minister is either inefficient or corrupt. Among the party leaders present at the press conference were Karikode Dileep Kumar, Perinad Vijayan, Divakaran Kavaoldi, Kundara Prathapan, Pooram Sreekumar, Arakkal Sreekumar and Raju Pandakasala.
