Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Monday defended the appointment of Rathan U Kelkar as his secretary, dismissing opposition criticism as baseless and politically motivated. Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Satheesan asserted that the allegations against Kelkar regarding the conduct of the recent assembly elections were unfounded.
CM defends Kelkar's appointment
Satheesan explained that a chief electoral officer (CEO) is appointed from a panel submitted by the state government. He questioned whether officers who serve in constitutional or election-related positions should be barred from holding government assignments later in their careers. The CM cited the example of former CEO Nalini Netto, who later served in the chief minister's office (CMO). “Does an officer’s official career end after serving as CEO?” Satheesan asked.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) had alleged that Kelkar’s appointment to the CMO shortly after the assembly elections raised questions over neutrality, especially since he served as CEO during the polls in which the United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a sweeping victory.
No comparison with West Bengal
Satheesan said Kerala could not be compared to West Bengal, where there had been widespread complaints regarding the deletion of voters from electoral rolls during the special intensive revision (SIR) process. “In Kerala, no political party had raised any such complaint against the CEO. The only complaints raised here were by me when I was leader of opposition,” he said. Taking a swipe at the opposition, the CM asked: “Was it Rathan Kelkar who made us win? Was it Rathan Kelkar who got the UDF 102 seats?”
Satheesan described Kelkar as an efficient officer and said that was precisely why he was brought into the CMO. He noted that Kelkar had worked with former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and handled key departments including IT and finance (expenditure). The LDF alleged the appointment had created an impression of impropriety.
CM responds to temple visit controversy
The CM also responded to criticism surrounding his visit to the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple on Sunday. Dismissing allegations that his visit caused inconvenience to devotees or involved protocol excesses, Satheesan said only four people had accompanied him and that he purchased tickets for darshan.
Governor's policy address and other appointments
The cabinet on Monday approved the governor’s policy address for the upcoming assembly session. The meeting also decided to appoint Apu John Joseph as chief whip in the assembly. Senior advocate K C Vincent has been appointed as additional advocate general.
