Ganesh Kumar’s ‘anti-strike’ stance draws criticism from within the LDF

Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar elicited criticism from within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) for allegedly taking a divergent political stance on the national strike by workers against the Centre’s “anti-labour” policies.

Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary Binoy Viswam said Mr. Ganesh Kumar, a Kerala Congress (B) leader and LDF ally, should have towed the Left trade union line on the national strike for workers’ rights. He said the Minister should not have let “emotions get the better of him” and given traction to the anti-strike political narrative.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader A.K. Balan said Mr. Ganesh Kumar should have refrained from appearing hostile to the workers’ cause.

He said the Minister had erred by stating that KSRTC operations would continue unimpeded on the national strike day.

Mr. Balan said KSRTC workers had given notice for the strike well in advance. They had expressed their solidarity with the working class in their efforts to roll back the Central government’s anti-labour, pro-corporate, and anti-farmer policies.

“The KSRTC declared a dies non. However, no worker insisted he should be remunerated when on strike. They forsake their pay for the proletarian cause,” Mr Balan added.

Mr. Ganesh Kumar had courted controversy on Wednesday by stating that the KSRTC would operate as usual on the national strike day and the public utility’s “work culture” had changed for the good. He had also averred that neither the CITU nor the INTUC, the two major trade unions in the KSRTC, had given notice for the strike. 

LDF convener and CITU State secretary T.P. Ramakrishnan rejected Mr. Ganesh Kumar’s statement. Consequently, KSRTC services came to a standstill on Thursday.

Insiders said the LDF was unlikely to pursue the issue further, given that a Minister could not, constitutionally, be seen to endorse a work strike.