Kerala: Two lakh Left activists appointed to govt, public undertakings by Pinarayi govt, claims Congress

Levelling serious allegations the ruling LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Kerala, the state unit of the Congress party has claimed that over two lakh party workers of the CPI-M have been given government jobs during his tenure. On Tuesday, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala raised this issue in the Assembly, releasing the names of Left party workers appointed in the various government departments and public undertakings.

Speaking to Financial Express Online, Kerala Congress Working President Kodikkunnil Suresh MP said that so far the state government has appointed over two lakh party workers in different departments, boards, corporations and public undertakings. Of these two lakh, over 1 lakh have been regularised and the process is on for more regularisation, Suresh said.

“After the CPM government came to power, they decided to appoint their cadres in the government as well as public undertakings without any test or interview. First they said they were appointing on a contract basis. But later they regularised contract and government employees. The Committee ratified their regular appointments. Two lakh party workers have already been appointed,” the Congress leader said. Suresh further said that the state government at the time of these appointments make it contractual. “But 2-3 months before their term is completed, the government regularises those who are from CPIM,” he alleged.

The Congress leader further said that Kerala Film Academy Chairman Kamal recently wrote a letter to the chief minister stating that 4-5 CPIM contractual workers be made permanent to “protect our identity”.

“If these 4-5 workers are made permanent in Kerala Film Academy, they are always with CPM and doing party activities in the Academy, our Left identity will be protected,” Suresh quoted Kamal as writing to CM Vijayan. “This is happening everywhere in Kerala,” the Congress working president said.

On Tuesday, the Congress said that the Vijayan government had made double the number of contractual appointments than the total number of recruitments by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC). Congress leader Shafi Parambil moved a motion in the Assembly alleging ‘Public Service Commission had become the ‘party service commission’.

Congress leader of opposition in Assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged that over one lakh people had been appointed through the backdoor by the LDF government. Later speaking to reporters, he said that the appointments had been made over 40 public sector undertakings besides government, board, and corporations. He also released the names of those party workers inducted through backdoors.

Among the leaders given jobs in Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation are A Rakhil, son of CPIM MLA PK Sasi; DYFI leader A Nikhil; and U S Rahul, the son-in-law of N Sasidharan Nair, who had once served in the personal staff of Pinarayi Vijayan.

(With inputs from agencies)