<p>The CPM-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala that faced nepotism allegations right from its initial months of governance is now on the defensive as the Congress-led United Democratic Front is unleashing a campaign listing out a series of appointment of close relatives of CPM leaders to various government institutions. The latest being the appointment of the wife of a former CPM MP as assistant professor, allegedly sabotaging the selection committee recommendations.</p>.<p>The Congress alleges that at least 2.5 lakh backdoor appointments took place over almost five years of CPM governance and the beneficiaries were either relatives of party leaders or party sympathisers. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has now come out with a list of around 15 instances of nepotism. He alleged that left leniency had become the criteria for appointments in the Kerala government now. </p>.<p>The government is trying to put up a defense with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan citing that 1.55 lakh recruitments were done through the Public Service Commission during this government's term compared to 1.5 lakh during the term of the previous Congress government and over 2,500 start-ups were formed in the state.</p>.<p>The Congress, which is making the backdoor appointments and nepotism a key topic for the upcoming assembly election campaign, announced that once it comes to power in the state, all the backdoor appointments by the current government would be reviewed.</p>.<p>The first major embarrassment faced by the Pinarayi Vijayan government was a nepotism row as even Industries Minister and senior CPM leaders E P Jayarajan had to even quit from the Cabinet following controversy over the appointment of his nephew P. K. Sudheer, who is also the son of the CPM MP P K Sreemathi, as managing director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises. </p>.<p>Jayarajan’s brother’s daughter-in-law Deepthi Nishad’s appointed as general manager at Kerala Clays and Ceramics Products Limited, former Chief Minister E. K. Nayanar's grandson Sooraj Raveendra as MD of Kinfra Film and Video Park, CPM leader Anathalavattom Anandan's son Jeeva Anand as MD of Kinfra Apparel Park and CPM leader Koliakode Krishnan Nair's son Unnikrishnan as general manager of Kinfra also kicked off a controversy during the initial months of the Pinarayi Vijayan government itself.</p>.<p>The ongoing row is over appointment of the CPM leader M B Rajesh’s wife Ninitha Kanicheri as an assistant professor at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kerala. While University authorities maintained that the appointment was done as per norms, a member of the selection panel, Umer Tharamel, openly commented that the selection list turned upside down. Though reporters sought the Chief Minister’s response to the allegations, he evaded a direct reply citing that the university authorities itself clarified it.</p>
<p>The CPM-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala that faced nepotism allegations right from its initial months of governance is now on the defensive as the Congress-led United Democratic Front is unleashing a campaign listing out a series of appointment of close relatives of CPM leaders to various government institutions. The latest being the appointment of the wife of a former CPM MP as assistant professor, allegedly sabotaging the selection committee recommendations.</p>.<p>The Congress alleges that at least 2.5 lakh backdoor appointments took place over almost five years of CPM governance and the beneficiaries were either relatives of party leaders or party sympathisers. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has now come out with a list of around 15 instances of nepotism. He alleged that left leniency had become the criteria for appointments in the Kerala government now. </p>.<p>The government is trying to put up a defense with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan citing that 1.55 lakh recruitments were done through the Public Service Commission during this government's term compared to 1.5 lakh during the term of the previous Congress government and over 2,500 start-ups were formed in the state.</p>.<p>The Congress, which is making the backdoor appointments and nepotism a key topic for the upcoming assembly election campaign, announced that once it comes to power in the state, all the backdoor appointments by the current government would be reviewed.</p>.<p>The first major embarrassment faced by the Pinarayi Vijayan government was a nepotism row as even Industries Minister and senior CPM leaders E P Jayarajan had to even quit from the Cabinet following controversy over the appointment of his nephew P. K. Sudheer, who is also the son of the CPM MP P K Sreemathi, as managing director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises. </p>.<p>Jayarajan’s brother’s daughter-in-law Deepthi Nishad’s appointed as general manager at Kerala Clays and Ceramics Products Limited, former Chief Minister E. K. Nayanar's grandson Sooraj Raveendra as MD of Kinfra Film and Video Park, CPM leader Anathalavattom Anandan's son Jeeva Anand as MD of Kinfra Apparel Park and CPM leader Koliakode Krishnan Nair's son Unnikrishnan as general manager of Kinfra also kicked off a controversy during the initial months of the Pinarayi Vijayan government itself.</p>.<p>The ongoing row is over appointment of the CPM leader M B Rajesh’s wife Ninitha Kanicheri as an assistant professor at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kerala. While University authorities maintained that the appointment was done as per norms, a member of the selection panel, Umer Tharamel, openly commented that the selection list turned upside down. Though reporters sought the Chief Minister’s response to the allegations, he evaded a direct reply citing that the university authorities itself clarified it.</p>