Kerala CM V D Satheesan defends Kelkar appointment as his secretary

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Monday defended the appointment of CEO Rathan U Kelkar as his secretary, stating that no political party in Kerala, including the BJP or CPI(M), had raised any allegation against him before the elections.

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Satheesan said the appointment of a Chief Electoral Officer follows a standard constitutional process in which the state government submits a panel of officers and the Chief Election Commissioner makes the final selection.

Reacting to a query, he questioned the basis of the controversy surrounding Kelkar's transfer and appointment, noting that several officers who previously served as Chief Electoral Officer had later continued in important government positions.

He cited former CEO Nalini Netto as an example, pointing out that she later served in the Home Department, became Chief Secretary and also worked in the Chief Minister's Office.

Referring to West Bengal, Satheesan said parties, including the Trinamool Congress, Congress and CPI(M) had made serious allegations there over alleged voter deletions through the SIR process, but no such complaints existed in Kerala against Kelkar.

The chief minister's statement comes amid mounting political heat over senior IAS officer Kelkar's appointment, triggering fresh attacks from the CPI(M) and the BJP, which have accused the ruling Congress of adopting a "double standard" on appointments involving election officials.

On rising oil prices, Satheesan said the government was closely monitoring the situation, including its impact on tax revenue and the burden on ordinary people, before taking a final decision.