It was a press note issued by the minister’s office which sealed the fate of E. P. Jayarajan, who was forced to resign from the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Cabinet in the wake of the raging appointment row.
Though the minister’s office did not officially publicize the appointment of Jayarajan’s nephew P. K. Sudheer as the managing director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Limited (KSIE), the decision to cancel his appointment was notified via a press note, which turned out to be a clinching evidence to prove the allegations of nepotism against the minister. It carried details of his application, appointment and his subsequent removal.
The press note raises a slew of questions about the irregularities that took place in the recruitment process. Was he eligible to apply for the post of KSIE MD? Why did the authorities concerned consider the candidature of someone who lacked the required eligibility and qualification? Since the Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB) was responsible for the recruitment, why didn’t he go through the specific procedures? Why did the government select someone who did not even have the eligibility to apply for appearing for the RIAB’s interview? After being recruited, why did he submit a letter to the minister's private secretary seeking more time to join?
Read rule by kinship series part - I: How Jayarajan's niece landed a top govt job
Preferential appointments
The appointment of managing director at the Kerala State Electronic Development Corporation (Keltron) exposes the deep-rooted corruption and nepotism in recruitments to the state’s public sector enterprises.
EP Jayarajan resigned as industries minister following allegations of nepotism. File PhotoThere were two candidates including the present general manager (in-charge) as well as a Kochi-based businessman who submitted their applications to appear for the RIAB’s examination. Notably, the RIAB does not follow the common recruitment procedure in which rank list is prepared on the basis of the candidate’s eligibility and experience. Instead, a panel will be finalized by a process of individual interviews. Appointments are made, by and large, on the basis of political patronage. Often, those who do not appear even for the examination get selected.
In the above-mentioned case, the female candidate with over 32 years of experience, who had also bagged the best CEO award from the state government, was the front runner for the post. Her husband was a member of the personal staff of former industries minister and CPM state secretariat member Elamaram Kareem.
However, that did not give her any advantage. The businessman who had no prior knowledge of that area was invited through an email to take over as the managing director of one of the major publicly owned high-tech undertakings in the state!
Party cadres can wait
Many of DYFI’s firebrand female leaders stood as mute spectators when a Kollam-based lady, who rose in the party ranks through SFI and DYFI in a short span of time was made the chairperson of the youth commission under the State Youth Welfare Board, recently.
Read rule by kinship series part - II: Windfall for relatives as CPM leaders dump party guidelines
The senior comrades including many central committee members who were subjected to police brutalities during agitations organized by the DYFI were disheartened by the move. The lady who made it to the post owed allegiance to the official faction of the party. Moreover, she was among those who demanded capital punishment for V. S. Achuthanandan at the party state conference held in Alappuzha. It was enough for her to land the coveted job.
Sharing of pleader posts
The formula evolved to share the post of the government pleader in Alappuzha was baffling. The party leadership found itself in a tight corner when two district committee members pushed hard for the appointment of their relatives. Finally, the leadership worked out an arrangement in which the post is shared on rotation, covering a period of two-and-a-half years. But the problem was not solved as the two parties fought over the right to hold the post in the first term. The group from Mavelikkara won the battle after the Chengannur-based leaders accepted the proposal halfheartedly.
End note
Nobody will raise a hue and cry over the appointment of close relatives of leaders if they possess the prescribed eligibility. In fact, many of the persons whose appointment became controversial now do have basic qualifications. But the government needs to answer whether it flouted recruitment norms or denied chances to eligible candidates while appointing leaders’ kin to key positions in public sector undertakings.
Such questions have been raised even within party circles.
By declaring that all appointments and deputations made during the previous UDF government will be included in the Vigilance probe, the government is just trying to cover up its failures. Such appointments by any government amount to violation of constitutional provisions. But the question is that why didn’t the LDF raise the issue when they were the Opposition.
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The front’s election slogan, 'LDF varum ellam shariyakum' (LDF will come and everything will be alright), has already started to haunt the leaders. Hours before Jayarajan’s resignation, Pinarayi Vijayan said while addressing the newly trained batches of the SAP Camp: “This government will not allow protectors to turn predators.”
Keralites expect such a solid stance from the government which won elections claiming that it will clean up the system once voted to power.
Series concludes
