Kerala HC seeks LDF govt, TVM Mayor stand on plea for CBI probe into controversial letter
Kochi(PTI): The Kerala High Court on Thursday sought the response of the LDF government and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran on a plea seeking a CBI probe or a judicial inquiry into the controversial letter allegedly written by her regarding employing party cadres in the civic body.
Justice K Babu issued notice to the state government, Kerala police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Vigilance Directorate, Rajendran and LDF Parliamentary Party secretary D R Anil, seeking their replies to the petition by a former councillor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The court listed the matter for hearing on November 25, advocate K R Rajkumar, appearing for the petitioner, said.
The petitioner, G S Sreekumar, has contended in his plea that Rajendran and Anil requested the CPI(M) District Secretary to provide the list of party members for appointment to various posts in the Health division of the corporation.
"The above act of nepotism of the Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and one of the councillors is very much against the oath taken by both of them at the time of swearing in as councillors in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
"This issue itself is having an epic proportion of corruption which has been institutionalised after the present dispensation has come into existence," the petition, filed through advocate Rajkumar, alleged.
Besides seeking a CBI probe or a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge not below the rank of Subordinate Judge, Sreekumar has also urged the court to direct the Vigilance Directorate to register the complaint he has made in connection with the letter.
He has contended that the actions of Rajendran and Anil can be seen as "subverting the employment chances of thousands" who are qualified to do the jobs if the same are advertised.
"The action of the respondents (Rajendran and Anil) literally is cheating the thousands who had applied based on the notifications. The procedure adopted by the respondents is to favour the party members or the persons who are to be made potential party workers," the petition has alleged.
It has also alleged that Rajendran and Anil were creating a cadre for their party inside the Corporation "by systematically employing the persons who are affiliated with the CPI(M) only."
"The situation is so grim that if a person has to get government employment, even if it is on a contract basis, one should have party membership. This is a clear violation of the rights guaranteed under the Constitution for equal and fair competition for every citizen," the petition has contended.
It has also alleged that during the last two years, more than thousand appointments were made in this fashion by the Corporation and "a detailed investigation in this matter is highly necessary."
"It is imminent that an inquiry into this matter needs to be initiated by an impartial authority who will not be fettered with the political high and mighty of Kerala state," the plea has said.
It has contended that an investigation by a state agency will not suffice in the matter as "there are political bigwigs who are involved in this operation and have the might to have the issue brushed under the carpet".
Ever since the letter allegedly written by Rajendran was released in public domain, both the BJP and Congress have been demanding her resignation and their councillors and party workers also staged protests at the Corporation office.
The alleged letter, written to the CPI(M) district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, had sought the priority list of party cadres to be appointed in temporary vacancies in the Left-ruled civic body.
The young Mayor has right from the beginning denied that she wrote, signed or sent any such letter and claimed that it appeared to be "edited".
She has also said that she suspects it to be politically motivated and also brushed aside demands for her resignation by the opposition Congress and BJP, by terming the same as a "joke".
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
