Kerala’s poll body chief nominee has Sang Parivar links?
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Kozhikode: The proposed appointment of N Seshadrinathan as Kerala State Election Commissioner has sparked sharp opposition within the Congress, with party leaders alleging that the state government ignored concerns about his political affiliations when selecting him for the constitutional post.
KPCC General Secretary PM Niyas has written to the Chief Minister and the Congress high command seeking immediate withdrawal of the appointment process. He alleged that the decision could facilitate ward delimitation favourable to the BJP and questioned the government's decision to recommend a person who has ideological links with the Sangh Parivar.
According to Niyas, Seshadrinathan was an SFI leader during his student days before moving closer to the Sangh Parivar. He argued that appointing a person with a perceived political leaning to such a sensitive position undermines the neutrality expected of the State Election Commission. He also claimed that the nominee's past social media activity reflects his ideological positions.
The state cabinet recently approved Seshadrinathan's appointment and forwarded the recommendation to the Governor for formal approval. The move has since triggered political controversy, with Congress demanding that the process be halted before the appointment is finalised.
Responding to the allegations, Minister KM Shaji rejected the criticism and defended the government's decision. He said the recommendation originated from his department and that the government approved it only after thoroughly examining the nominee's qualifications and background. The minister maintained that Seshadrinathan is fully qualified for the post and dismissed suggestions that his personal religious beliefs should be treated as a disqualification.
Niyas later clarified that his complaint was addressed to the Congress leadership and the Chief Minister, not to the minister. He maintained that he raised the issue in his capacity as a KPCC office-bearer to ensure the party corrected what he described as a serious mistake.