Ganesh Kumar’s outburst on corrupt PWD staff irks Muslim League

Thiruvananthapuram: The UDF on Tuesday was embarrassed as former forest minister and KC (B) MLA K.B. Ganesh Kumar raised allegations of graft against PWD minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju’s personal staff in the House.

Muslim League leaders, caught off guard by the outburst, demanded his immediate expulsion from the UDF later at a meeting. Mr Ganesh’s father and KC (B) chairman R. Balakrishna Pillai blamed his son for the outburst.

Mr Kumar raised the allegation during a call-attention motion on difficulties experienced by Ayyappa devotees regarding the non-repair of the Punalur-Muvattupuzha road on the Sabarimala stretch.

UDF leaders soon went into a huddle at the CM’s chamber and entrusted him to take the appropriate decision. “Ganesh Kumar has breached all norms. The UDF meeting on Dec. 15 will resolve it”, said UDF leaders. 

"Since KC (B) is part of the UDF, it was not proper for Ganesh to level allegations against the PWD minister's office. I had told him as much. Our party would decide the future course of action, though it is not the responsibility of the UDF", said Mr Pillai.

About his being not among leaders meeting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi: "I had not desired to meet Rahul Gandhi... I had met Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi", said Mr Pillai.

This was not the first time Mr Pillai and son differed in public but Mr Pillai blamed the UDF leaders for having played his son against him.