Oommen Chandy's silence on Ganesh speaks much

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K B Ganesh Kumar had the towering support of chief minister Oommen Chandy when his father R Balakrishna Pillai threw tantrum after tantrum to unseat him. Many a time, Chandy praised Ganesh as an efficient minister or wore his trademark smile when reporters threw questions on his response to Pillai's demand.
However, Tuesday was different. While meeting reporters in New Delhi, Chandy remained tight-lipped to all questions on Ganesh.With a serious face, he even said he was not going to comment anything on Ganesh and the response underlined what CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had alleged in Kozhikode earlier in the day. Vijayan alleged that the CM was hiding a lot in the Ganesh issue. "The CM should shed his silence and speak the truth," he said, adding that it is the prerogative of the CM to decide on the values of his team members.
UDF sources, however, see something odd in the silence of the CM.
Though Chandy is yet to make his mind clear on Ganesh issue even to his close allies, sources said there were enough indications to believe that Chandy has distanced himself from Ganesh. "Or else, he should have at least commented something on Tuesday," a UDF leader said. The stand of Chandy will be crucial when the UDF high power committee considers the issue on Thursday.
UDF chief whip P C George, who levelled the allegation of extramarital affair against Ganesh on Sunday, came up with another threat on Tuesday. He said more serious revelations about Ganesh will be out on Thursday. George reiterated that he stood by what he had said.
Ganesh Kumar had only this to say when asked about George's comments at a public function: "Gentlemen can say anything against anyone, as they wish."