Priya Varghese job row: Nepotism allegations against top Kerala CPI(M) leaders

It is not the first time that there has been an allegation of nepotism against a top Kerala CPI(M) leader. There have been quite a few similar job appointments in institutions, which have created a flutter in the state. While in three such cases jobs were managed, Priya Varghese is yet to get one.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is also the Chancellor, just the other day stayed the selection procedure for appointment of Priya Varghese as Associate Professor in the Department of Malayalam at Kannur University with immediate effect until further orders.

Read | Kerala varsity to move court against Governor’s stay on appointment

Priya is the wife of KK Raghesh, former Rajya Sabha member and the present private secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Similar job appointments of the wives of top CPI(M) leaders that created a furore includes the wife of two-time former Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju and the wife of the present State Industries Minister and former Rajya Sabha member P Rajiv

Biju's wife got a teaching job in Kerala University, and Rajiv's wife got it in Cochin University.

Reports of present Speaker of the Kerala Assembly MB Rajesh's wife employed at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady have also come up.

The Congress-led Opposition took out protests against these appointments. While the wife of Rajesh got the job, Priya's continues to hang fire as there were reports that she as well as the Kannur University will move the Kerala High Court.

Governor Khan of late has been blowing hot and cold, and on Friday he said he will have to check with legal experts if a subordinate official can approach the courts against the head.

"The powers of Raj Bhavan have been decided by the Constitution and directions can come only from the President, and hence I will not state anything else. The present issue (Priya Varghese) is political and hence I will also deal with it politically," said Khan.

Former Law Minister and CPI(M) central committee member P Balan slammed Governor Khan and said the way he was behaving was not in tune with the pride and culture of Kerala.

"There is nothing wrong in the appointment of Priya Varghese as all rules and regulations have been followed and he is acting in a manner which is against the Constitution," said Balan.

Meanwhile, a short 10-day Assembly session will begin from August 22. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan had said that all University appointments made after Vijayan assumed office in 2016 should go in for a relook. All eyes are on if this would be raised on the floor of the Assembly as both Rajesh and Rajiv are members of the Assembly.