Representational imageKochi: After the CPM, nepotism charges are now haunting the Communist Party of India (CPI), the second largest constituent in the Left Democratic Front government.
The CPI has been caught up in a nepotism row amid allegations that the party hierarchy is trying to appoint a KSRTC conductor to the post of the Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco).
The Food and Civil Supplies Department is responsible for filling up the vacancy.
The move snowballed into a controversy after the Supplyco management refused the proposal citing the stipulation that the post would only be filled on deputation.
The party’s stubbornness has put Food and Civil Supplies minister P. Thilothaman in a quandary as he is not able to approve the appointment of the eligible candidate, the Kottayam district information officer, even after the Supplyco management issuing no-objection certificates (NOC) for his recruitment.
The post of the PRO has been lying vacant for the past six months after the official, who was appointed on deputation during the previous UDF regime, returned to her parent department upon completion of the period of deputation.
No prescribed eligibility norms and minimum qualification are required for the appointment to the post of Supplyco PRO. If for any reason, the post becomes vacant, a PRD official would be appointed on deputation for a period of five years.
Following the transfer of the former PRO, the Kottayam district information officer submitted an application and was waiting for the appointment order as there was no other candidate for the post.
It was only then the KSRTC conductor, a native of Ernakulam and a former CPI panchayat councilor, applied for the post. The CPI state leadership and some top leaders of AITUC, the pro-CPI trade union, started lobbying intensively the minister’s office for the appointment of the party man. Following pressure from the party, his application was forwarded to the department concerned without the mandatory NOC from the Supplyco management.
The management strongly opposed the move saying that the candidate required strong communication and writing skills, and a person without any prior experience in the field could not be considered for the post.
