Perumthachan and his son

Perunthachan is an ancient legendary carpenter in Kerala’s folklore. This name often quoted in Malayalam literature to refer the pshychological fued between father and son. Jnanpith award winning novelist M T Vasudevan Nair scripted a film on Peruntachan who accidently killed his son. The death happened while father’s sharp chistle droped directly on the neck of son from the upstairs of a building in making.  The death was termed in the folklore as a murder done by the father to annihilate the son who outmaneuvers his eminet father.

This legend revisited in the minds of Malayalees as the feud between R Balakrishnapillai, the former minister and Chairman of Kerala Congress (B) and his son, the Ganesh Kumar, who serves the Forest and Cinema minister in Oommen Chandy Cabinet. This feud once again challed the very existence of United Democratic Front Government as it survives on the streangth of just one seat. When Pillai expelled his son from party’s vice chairmanship, Ganesh Kumar announced that he would ready to submit his resignation to face a fresh mandate in his constituency. Pillai retaliated that Ganesh Kumar has the right to take his own decision.

Both father and son hit the headlines recently as the former ceremoniously released from a case (Edamalayar Graft Case) in which he was imprisoned by the Supreme Court for one year. In his jail term, he spent most of the days in a five star hospital in Thiruvananthapuram in the pretext of treatment. The revelation on his call during his punishment also created a controversy. His name was also involved in an incident of a brutal attack on a teacher who works in a school managed by him.
 The son became notorious for his hate speech against Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan. While speaking in a public meeting in Pathanapuram, Ganesh Kumar abused the senior most Communist leader as sexual maniac. As the antecedence of both father and son was quite notorious, the relationship between them was intact sofar. Son’s industrious efforts made his release from Jail/hospital easy.
The volcano exploded eversince pillai get out of jail. In last week, Pillai met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and demanded the expulsion from the ministry.

On Saturday pillai convened a meeting of his party leaders and expelled his son from the post of Vice Chairman before electing new office bearers. In that meeting, Pillai had lauched a harsh attack on his son, and alleged that Ganesh Kumar is taking the decision without consulting with party and pay no attention to its directives. Party had just been a ladder for Ganesh Kumar to attain the ministerial post and he begun resrespect it after reaching that post. Echoing Pillai’s outburst other leaders also started lambasting the minister. When Ganesh stood up to clarify his position, pillai and his retinue drove off from the meeting.

Ganesh’s threat to resign and his willingness to face the fresh poll, is a severe blow to UDF. Muslim League has jumped in to the scene and offered a rescue attempt. This shows how serious the issue is. Piravam bye election is belated by the UDF as the front fearing a defeat. In such a circumstance, one more bye election will heavily damage the prospect of ruling front.