Thiruvananthapuram: It is tough times for Kerala Congress (B) in the Left Democratic Front dispensation as party supremo K B Ganesh Kumar's hopes of becoming a minister in the second Pinarayi Vijayan Government recede.
The party, meanwhile, received a brief jolt today as it was reported that the CPM-led government divested the one-legislator party of the chairmanship of the Kerala State Welfare Corporation for Forward Communities (KSWCFC).
Luckily, that move was revoked within hours as the Chief Minister intervened soon after Ganesh Kumar objected.
The KSWCFC chairmanship was the sole key post allotted to the minor party after the CPM-led LDF came to power for the second time on the trot in May 2021. The CPM was apparently upset with the Kerala Congress rump as its outspoken leader Ganesh Kumar has embarrassed the government several times by flagging its short-comings.
Short-lived order
The General Administration Department under the chief minister had reportedly issued an order removing Kerala Congress (B) state vice-president K G Premjith from the post of chairman and appointed CPM nominee M Rajagopalan Nair in his place.
A CPM supporter and a senior lawyer, Rajagopalan Nair was earlier president of the Travancore Devaswom Board and chairman of the Devaswom Recruitment Board.
Premjith claimed that he was not aware of the change and had not seen any order in that regard.
Reports say the decision to remove Premjith was taken without the consent of Kerala Congress (B).
When the LDF came to power a second time in 2021, the Kerala Congress (B), which was deprived of a ministerial position, was given the chairmanship of the KSWCFC.
Earlier, when the Kerala Congress (B) joined the Left front, its founder R Balakrishna Pillai was named chairman of the Corporation and was granted a Cabinet rank.
As per the now-revoked order, the entire governing body of the Corporation was reconstituted. P V Bhavadasan Namboothiri, Fr Jiji Thomas, T K Prasad, M P Murali, Kollengode Raveendran Nair and P N Mohanan were part of the reconstituted body. Additional Secretary (Public Administration), Additional Secretary (Finance) and MD of KSWCFC are ex-officio members.
The government had promised a ministerial position for Ganesh Kumar when it completes two-and-a-half years. However, a decision in this regard is yet to be announced.
Ganesh Kumar, who is the son of Balakrishna Pillai, is the Pathanapuram legislator.