The UDF’s troubles got more complicated on Monday with Kerala Congress (B) chairman R Balakrishna Pillai urging Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to re-induct his son and former Forest and Sports Minister K B Ganesh Kumar into the Cabinet.
Balakrishna Pillai met Chandy in the morning and handed over a letter in this regard. Afterwards, Pillai told reporters that since there were no criminal charges against Ganesh now, no situation prevailed wherein he should not become a minister. The final decision regarding the minister’s post lay with the Chief Minister, Balakrishna Pillai, who met Chandy at the Cliff House, said. With demands being raised that Ganesh Kumar should be re-inducted, the UDF had left it to the Chief Minister to decide.
It was following this that Pillai met Chandy on Tuesday morning to apprise him of his party’s decision. Ganesh, who was Forest and Sports Minister in the Chandy Cabinet, was forced to step down following charges of domestic violence levelled against him by his wife. The charges were later withdrawn.
‘CM will Decide’
Meanwhile, addressing the district workers’ convention of Kerala Congress(M) in Kannur on Monday, Finance Minister and Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani said that the party had grown as a force which couldn’t be neglected. The party’s perception on the rights of the workers has gained recognition of the people, he said. The Finance Minister was honoured at the function.
Talking to mediapersons earlier, Mani said that the re-induction of K B Ganesh Kumar into the Cabinet was an issue to be decided by the Chief Minister. He said that he wouldn’t like to make any comments on the issue. Joy Abraham MP was also accorded a reception at the convention. Joice Puthanpura, district president of Kerala Congress (M), presided over the convention.