Kerala Minister Ganesh Kumar faces fresh scandal; wife alleges infidelity, intimidation

In what is clearly a case of the intensely personal becoming explosively political, Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar's political future hangs by a thread following explosive allegations of infidelity and intimidation leveled by his wife, Bindu Menon.

Ganesh Kumar, a figure long shadowed by personal controversies, had faced similar charges from his first wife, which resulted in his expulsion from the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Cabinet in 2013.

At that time, his then-wife, Yamini Thankachi, filed a written complaint with the police alleging years of physical and mental domestic abuse.

She appeared before the media with visible bruises, claiming the Minister had assaulted her. His father, the late R. Balakrishna Pillai, who headed their party, Kerala Congress (B), had already fallen out with him and was actively demanding his resignation.

The domestic violence complaint gave Chief Minister Oommen Chandy the leverage to demand Ganesh's immediate resignation to save the government's image.

​Bindu Menon has now come out against him, alleging that on reaching the Minister's ancestral home unannounced Saturday afternoon, she discovered the Minister in a "compromising situation." When she attempted to document the scene using her mobile phone, she claims aides forcibly restrained her and tried to snatch the device.

Distressed, she contacted her sister-in-law, former DGP R. Sreelekha, for assistance. On Sreelekha’s advice, she dialed the police emergency helpline. However, although a police team arrived at the scene, they withdrew without intervening.

Bindu, who spoke to TV channels about the incident, said that after she re-entered the house to take more photographs, the Minister instructed his assistants to seize her phone. She claims they locked the room and attempted to overpower her. Amidst the commotion, she managed to escape the house and left the premises in a taxi.

Former DGP Sreelekha has since confirmed these details to the media.

State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar stated that an investigation into the police response is currently underway.

The Transport Minister has dismissed the allegations as a politically motivated conspiracy orchestrated by the Congress party ahead of the elections. Speaking to the media, a defiant Ganesh Kumar compared his personal life to a work of literature.

"Asking if Ganesh Kumar is in love is like asking if [celebrated author] Madhavikutty was in love. I have not one, but a thousand loves. My enemies have always been within my own home," the Minister remarked.

He asserted that no one has the right to interfere in his private life and claimed the controversy would only increase his victory margin in his constituency, Pathanapuram. He further hit back at R. Sreelekha, accusing her of acting out of spite.

KB Ganesh Kumar is a name synonymous with high-stakes political drama. A former film actor turned politician, he was a central figure in the downfall of the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government (2011–2016). ​

There have been allegations that he added portions to a letter written by the prime accused in the Solar Scam, Saritha Nair, accusing Mr. Chandy of sexual misconduct toward her. The charge was later found to be baseless.

The timing of the controversy is particularly precarious for the LDF government. Bindu Menon says she ​has informed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter, whose husband is also a member of the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet, about the incident. However, she answered no when​ TV reporters asked if she planned legal action against the Minister.