RSP to replace ailing Baby John in Kerala ministry

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Dec 30: Revolutionary Socialist Party Central Committee member V P Ramakrishna Pillai, 66, won the party nomination thro...

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Dec 30: Revolutionary Socialist Party Central Committee member V P Ramakrishna Pillai, 66, won the party nomination through a secret ballot, defeating young contender Babu Divakaran by a 17-12 vote, to replace ailing Minister Baby John in the Kerala Ministry.

The swearing-in could be early next month.

A statement issued by the party committee soon after the election clarified that Ramakrishna Pillai would continue in office until Irrigation Minister Baby John regained full health’ and was able to carry out his official duties. It was on October 27 that Baby John was hospitalised with a lung infection. He is now being rehabilitated in Devaki Hospital, Chennai.

Ramakrishna Pillai told ENS: “I will try to live up to the confidence reposed in me by the party at a critical time.”

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All members in the 30-member panel, except Baby John, participated in the party meeting which was presided over by party State secretary K Pankajakshan. The tie for the nomination was confined to the two members from Kollam, the party’s main political base, though Prof A V Thamarakshan, representing Haripad in Alappuzha, was also proposed.

Sources said that the party would formally place the request before LDF state committee meeting on Wednesday. Its request would be to retain Baby as a Minister even while apportioning Irrigation portfolio to the new nominee. However, it was very unlikely that CPM would accept the demand which it had already rejected on the grounds that it would be a bad precedent.