Row erupts as Rathan Kelkar assumes charge as Kerala CM's secretary, CPI(M) accuse Congress of having 'double standards'

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid mounting political heat over his appointment, senior IAS officer Rathan U Kelkar on Sunday assumed charge as secretary to Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan, triggering fresh attacks from the CPI(M), which accused the ruling Congress of adopting a "double standard" on appointments involving election officials.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) released photographs of Kelkar taking charge, a day after the government transferred and posted the former Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) as the CM's secretary.

There were also media reports that CM Satheesan has directed the officer to assume office immediately despite it being a Sunday.

Amid the continuing controversy, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal avoided directly responding to questions over the appointment of the official to a key post in the Chief Minister's Office.

He said the matter was administrative in nature and it was for the government to take such decisions.

"I have no opinion on such matters. Let those in governance decide," Venugopal told reporters in Thrissur.

Reacting sharply, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan alleged that the Congress was taking a contradictory stand compared to its earlier criticism of similar appointments in BJP-ruled states.

"When a former Election official was appointed to a prominent post in West Bengal, Rahul Gandhi had strongly criticised it. But when a similar move happens in Kerala, K C Venugopal says it is the responsibility of those in power. This is a clear double standard," Govindan alleged.

He further claimed that Kelkar had faced widespread criticism in Kerala over various issues related to the conduct of the recent Assembly elections, including alleged denial of voting opportunity to thousands of voters.

When reporters asked whether the appointment was part of any "deal", Govindan said "everything will come out in the coming days".

A political row erupted in Kerala on Saturday over the appointment of Kelkar as secretary to CM Satheesan, with both the CPI(M) and the BJP accusing the Congress of hypocrisy in light of its earlier criticism against similar appointments in BJP-ruled states.

While the CPI(M) alleged that the move raises serious questions over the credibility and neutrality of the recent Assembly elections, the BJP accused the Congress of adopting "double standards".

The Congress, however, had rejected the allegations, asserting that there was "no politics" behind the appointment and that the government was fully empowered to appoint capable officers to key administrative posts.

Kelkar, a 2003-batch IAS officer, had supervised the recent Kerala Assembly election process as the state's Chief Electoral Officer. Congress-led UDF had swept the polls, winning 102 of the 140 seats.

A government order had earlier stated, "Rathan U Kelkar IAS (KL 2003), Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala and Secretary, Election Department, is transferred and posted as Secretary to the Chief Minister."