TVM mayor denies writing controversial letter on jobs for CPI(M) cadres

Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran on Sunday denied that she wrote, signed or sent any letter asking the ''priority list'' of CPI(M) cadres to be appointed in temporary posts in the civic body and said she has given a complaint to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requesting a probe into the matter.

The letter, addressing CPI(M) district secretary Anavoor Nagappan as ''comrade'', containing the official letter head of the mayor and her signature, kicked up a huge political controversy in Kerala with opposition Congress and BJP demanding her immediate resignation.

Speaking to reporters here during the day, Rajendran said she met the Chief Minister and handed over a complaint to him requesting a probe into the genesis of the letter and who all were behind it. She added that at first glance, the letter appeared to be ''edited''.

''Whether the letter or the letter head or the signature is fake, original or forged has to be ascertained in the inquiry. That is why I have given a complaint to the CM requesting for an inquiry into how the letter came into existence and what was the motive behind it,'' she said.

The young mayor also said that she suspects it to be politically motivated by those who have been campaigning against her and the party for some time.

Rajendran also brushed aside demands for her resignation by the opposition Congress and BJP by terming the same as a ''joke''.

''There have been demands for my resignation ever since I was appointed as mayor. I cannot keep resigning,'' she said.

The mayor further said that she has nothing to hide and therefore, she does not need to play hide and seek over the issue.

''I am a representative of the people and it is to them I am primarily answerable,'' she added.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan in a press conference here told reporters that when the mayor has clarified she did not write or send the letter, there was no need for the party to intervene in the matter.

He, however, said that it can be examined as to who wrote that letter and made it public.

Both Govindan and Rajendran also said that CPI(M) never had the practice of inducting party workers in this fashion through the backdoor and will not ever do so in the future.

The CPI(M) state secretary also said that the minister concerned has already said that the 295 vacancies mentioned in the purported letter would be filled up through the employment exchange and that is the procedure that the state government has been following.

State Minister for Local Self-Governments M B Rajesh told reporters earlier in the day that the 295 vacancies would be filled up through the employment exchange.

Rajendran, in the letter dated November 1, had purportedly informed that the CPI(M)-ruled city corporation had decided to appoint employees in various posts in connection with its health wing on a daily wage basis.

A break-up chart of various posts and the number of vacancies in each category including public health expert, doctor, staff nurse, pharmacist, lab technician, part-time sweeper and so on was also given in the controversial letter.

The 23-year-old mayor had purportedly requested the party district secretary to provide the ''priority list'' of cadres to be appointed by November 16, the last date of submission of applications.

It had led to the Congress and BJP alleging that it was yet another example of CPI(M)-led LDF trying to induct party cadres in state-run institutions.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)