The UPA’s return with a bang in New Delhi is hurting the LDF government in Kerala in more than one way.
The UPA’s return with a bang in New Delhi is hurting the LDF government in Kerala in more than one way. The promise of a stable government at the Centre is luring away bureaucrats en masse from the southern state, while those who had left the state earlier are trying to get their central deputation extended.
Chief minister VS Achuthanandan appointed Neela Gangadharan chief secretary on Saturday after her six seniors refused to return to Kerala. KM Chandrasekhar, Gopal Krishna Pillai, Sudha Pillai, PJ Thomas, Sathyanarayana Das and Mohan Das, who are on central deputation, are eligible for the top post in the state. The CM, on the other hand, didn’t want them to leave their current posting before their term ended.
Thomas, interestingly, went to Delhi on deputation after he was superseded by junior KJ Mathew as chief secretary in September 2007 despite the IAS association’s opposition. Neela Gangadharan, a 1975-batch officer who has been working as the additional chief secretary, replaces Mathew, who retires on May 31.
Apparently, Achuthanandan didn’t want to give Thomas the top post because of
the Palmolein import case in which he was the petitioner and the latter an accused. The IAS officers’ protest added to his woes at a time when chief secretary Lizzie Jacob quit after he accused her of granting state funds for building a helipad in Ponmudi without informing the cabinet. She went on leave six months ahead of retirement.
Over 25 IAS and 15 IPS officers have fled the state after the LDF government came to power. At least six IAS officers are waiting for their deputation orders. One of them is revenue principal secretary Niveditha P Haran, who landed in legal trouble for implementing a government decision to get a club in Thiruvananthapuram vacated.
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