Kozhikode: The controversy surrounding the Kerala government's decision to appoint retired judge N Seshadrinathan as the next State Election Commissioner (SEC) intensified on Tuesday, exposing fresh fault lines within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Objections from senior Congress leader P M Niyaz have deepened the political crisis for the government, with the dissent now directly challenging a collective Cabinet decision.

Niyaz, a general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), met Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday and reiterated his demand that the government withdraw Seshadrinathan's nomination. He is also scheduled to meet Chief Minister V D Satheesan to press for reconsideration of the appointment.

The Cabinet last week approved the appointment of Seshadrinathan, a retired judge who also served as a judge in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as the State Election Commissioner. The recommendation has since been forwarded to the Governor for approval.

The controversy erupted after Niyaz wrote to KPCC president Sunny Joseph, urging the party leadership to intervene and reconsider the government's decision. In his letter, he argued that the office of the State Election Commissioner was a politically significant constitutional post, as the SEC is also a permanent member of the Delimitation Commission for Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies.

Niyaz alleged that Seshadrinathan had been an active SFI worker during his student days at Kozhikode Government Law College and had worked against the Congress-affiliated KSU. He further claimed that Seshadrinathan had maintained links with the Sangh Parivar over the past 15 years.

However, Local Self Government Minister K M Shaji defended the appointment, describing it as a collective decision of the UDF government. He maintained that appointments to constitutional offices should be assessed on the basis of a nominee's professional credentials rather than political allegations.

After meeting the Home Minister, Niyaz said he had requested an inquiry into Seshadrinathan's alleged past associations with Sangh Parivar organisations. He also urged that relevant documents be shared with Shaji, whom he claimed was unaware of the background he had raised.

"Once the Governor signs the appointment, the person cannot be removed from office for five years. A person with alleged links to the Sangh Parivar should not be appointed to such a crucial constitutional post," he said.

Referring to Seshadrinathan's social media presence, Niyaz alleged that the retired judge's social media accounts had disappeared after the issue was raised publicly. "I had earlier spoken about Sheshadrinathan's social media activities over the past fifteen years. But after I raised the issue, all of his social media accounts have now disappeared. If he has nothing to hide, why remove all of them?" Niyaz asked.

He said he hoped the Home Minister had understood the seriousness of the issue, though Chennithala did not publicly respond to the allegations. Niyaz said he would meet the Chief Minister as well, insisting that his complaint was not driven by personal interests but had been filed through proper channels in the interest of the UDF and the Congress party in Kerala.

The SEC row has added to growing signs of unease within the ruling UDF over government appointments. The latest controversy comes at a time when the coalition has already faced criticism from within the Congress over several appointments made after assuming office.

Earlier, the government came under attack over the appointment of Benny Thomas, brother-in-law of Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph, as the minister's additional private secretary. Thomas later resigned. Similarly, K B Pradeep stepped down as Devaswom Special Government Pleader after political objections.

The issue also figured at the recent state executive meeting of the Indian Lawyers Congress (ILC) in Ernakulam, where members reportedly criticised the government's appointment of lawyers perceived to have pro-CPM and pro-BJP leanings as government pleaders, reflecting widening internal discontent over the UDF government's appointment decisions.