Kerala minister resigns following domestic violence complaint by wife

 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 02 Apr 2013: The issue of domestic violence by Kerala forest and sports minister minister KB Ganesh Kumar rocked the assembly on Tuesday. The opposition accused the chief minister Oommen Chandy of misleading the house over the issue. The assembly had to be adjourned following opposition’s uproar.

 

Late on Monday night, Ganesh Kumar submitted his resignation to the CM after his wife Dr Yamini Thankachy filed a complaint.

 

Ganesh, who had been on a sticky wicket ever since reports about a tiff between him and the husband of a woman with whom he allegedly had an illicit affair came out, had no choice but to quit as his wife personally visited Museum police station and submitted a complaint under the prevention of women from domestic violence act. Earlier in the day, the minister also filed a police complaint against his wife alleging that she had manhandled him on February 22.

 

Though chief minister Oommen Chandy was initially hesitant to ask for Ganesh’s resignation, he changed his stand after a high level discussion held between senior cabinet colleagues K M Mani and P K Kunhalikutty and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala late in the night. DGP KS Balasubramanyam who was also invited to the meeting apprised the CM and other ministers about the legal angles of Yamini’s complaint. CM was also under tremendous pressure following the decision of the opposition benches to raise the issue in the assembly on Tuesday.

 

Labour minister Shibu Baby John, who was present at the meeting, went to the official residence of Ganesh Kumar by 10.30pm and conveyed the decision of the senior ministers. Ganesh wrote the resignation letter and signed it in the presence of Shibu Babyjohn and proceeded to CM’s residence by around 11.30.

 

After submitting the resignation, Ganesh Kumar said his resignation was the price he had to pay for waging a war against corruption. He said he was quitting as his continuance in the office might hamper an impartial inquiry into the complaint against him. "There was a conspiracy against me. I want to bring the truth out", he said.

 

Chief minister Oommen Chandy said he would forward the resignation to the governor on Tuesday.