CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam hints at Ganesh Kumar's ouster from cabinet

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Monday hinted that the LDF would swiftly initiate stern action against Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar, who has been accused of immoral behaviour and domestic abuse by his wife Bindhu Menon. 

The CPI leader was taking part in a debate on the topic 'Keralam after the 2026 Elections' organised by the Lourdes Friends' Collective at Lourdes Forane Church in Thiruvananthapuram. Binoy Viswam made the public declaration of a disciplinary move against the minister without even a hint of provocation from his political adversaries on the stage.

It was while elaborating on the LDF's governance philosophy that he seemed prompted to make a diversion into Ganesh's affairs.  "Care is the LDF trademark," Viswam said. "And this care is about holding everyone close, particularly the weak and the poor, the adivasis and women." It was the mention of 'women' that reminded Vishwam of the charges against the transport minister. The CPI state secretary seemed to anticipate that Congress leader K Muraleedharan, who was on the dais, would by now want to pounce on him.

"What Murali is thinking right now, he will get an answer for it tomorrow. If you have any intention of referring to the news that came out at noon today, I am telling Murali that he will definitely get an answer tomorrow morning," Viswam said. 

Muraleedharan clearly looked confused. Viswam went on: "So we are always on their side, on the side of women." By touching upon the Ganesh incident without any external prompt, Viswam was clearly trying to pre-empt any counter questions on the issue by his political adversaries, who were part of the debate, like Muraleedharan and Mayor V V Rajesh.

Since he had arrived at the venue while Viswam was talking, it is not clear whether Muraleedharan understood Viswam's remark. Nonetheless, as anticipated by the CPI leader, Muraleedharan did put the LDF in the dock on the Ganesh issue. "When you speak about women's safety, it should be about the safety of all women," he said. "On such issues, especially when the allegation has come within the minister's home, stringent action should be taken without favour," he said. 

He also recalled the "exemplary" punishment the Congress meted out to "one of our young MLAs" when he was found indulging in improper behaviour.

The Mayor, however, ignored the Ganesh scandal.

Ganesh Kumar's wife had revealed to a news channel early in the day that she had caught her husband having an illicit affair with a woman in their home. She said that she had taken photographs of Ganesh with the woman. Bindhu Menon said that she had got in touch with former DGP and BJP leader R Sreelekha, who is also her cousin, and on her advice had called the emergency number 112. She said the police did arrive at the house in Valakom, Kottarakkara, but did not do much to help her. 

What's more, Menon said that she had informed the Chief Minister's daughter. "I told her that I had all the evidence," Menon told the news channel.