In a major development ahead of the Kerala assembly elections, the Nair Service Society (NSS) has dissolved its Pathanapuram taluk union committee in Kollam headed by Transport Minister and Kerala Congress (B) leader KB Ganesh Kumar.
Sources in the community organization said the decision to dissolve the committee was taken on the basis of a petition submitted by the majority of its members. The NSS leadership has also appointed an interim ad hoc committee chaired by senior member K. Thankappan Pillai to oversee the day-to-day affairs of the union.
Mr. Ganesh Kumar has been at loggerheads with the Pathanapuram taluk NSS union for some time now over various issues. These include allegations of a one-off promotion as well as disputes related to the use of funds for the construction of Padma Café, a network of NSS restaurants under the union.
Earlier last week, 10 of the 19 members of the union committee met NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair directly and tendered their resignations to him. Although two of them later tried to withdraw their resignations, allegedly under the intimidation of the minister, the move failed after the NSS leadership insisted that the members who wanted to withdraw their resignations appear in person. Subsequently NSS Registrar Sasidharan Nair dissolved the committee.
Although Mr. Ganesh Kumar has been removed from the post of taluk union president, he will continue to be a member of the NSS board.
Minister’s attitude
Responding to reporters, Mr. Ganesh Kumar claimed that there were political motives behind the move. “My father, R. Balakrishna Pillai, was the one who built the Pathanapuram NSS taluk union, which now holds assets worth ₹300 crore. Some people are trying to take over this asset,” he said.
NSS officials, however, claimed that the decision to dissolve the taluk union committee was taken strictly in accordance with the laid down procedures. “Despite the NSS leadership being given enough time to prove its majority within the union, Mr. Ganesh Kumar failed to do so,” they said.
They also said the community organization had grown increasingly disaffected in recent months over controversies surrounding Mr Ganesh Kumar, including allegations of infidelity by his wife. They also pointed to earlier calls for the minister to be relieved of his organizational duties citing a departure from his religious practice.
Balakrishna Pillai served as the president of the Pathanapuram taluk union for 64 years, from 1957 until his death in May 2021. Mr. Ganesh Kumar took over in 2021.
Published – 14 March 2026 20:02 IST
