Appointment gridlock: Secretariat jammed with aspirants for staff and cultural roles

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two months into the government's term, ministerial offices at the Secretariat continue to witness heavy congestion as petitioners queuing up from morning are pushed aside by party workers and leaders carrying recommendation letters for personal staff positions. Inside these offices, visitors often wander around lost, unsure of whom to approach amid a festive-like crowd.

While ministers are authorised to appoint up to 30 staff members, a decision has been taken to limit the number to 25 as ministers exercise maximum caution to avoid controversies over appointments. For Congress ministers, KPCC decisions are also binding. Recommendations from MPs, MLAs, party district committees, and certain community organisation leaders dominate the process.

Despite two months having passed, several ministers still lack finalised personal staff, including private secretaries, while others face uncertainty as official orders have yet to be issued. Personal staff appointments are nearly complete for only a handful of Congress ministers, with the situation described as pitiable in the offices of ministers such as T. Siddique, M. Liju, and P.C. Vishnunath. Although Muslim League ministers reportedly have their staff finalised, uncertainty surrounds the issuance of orders. The status of RSP and CMP ministers remains similar, as only a nominal few have been appointed in each office and smooth functioning has not yet begun.

Cultural institutions draw similar rush

A parallel scramble is unfolding at the Secretariat as aspirants lobby for leadership positions in cultural institutions. Leadership responsibilities for about 40 cultural institutions—excluding the Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Kalamandalam, and Chalachitra Akademi—are yet to be distributed. While Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has expressed the opinion that newcomers should head these bodies, several old faces are also in the fray exerting pressure. In response, a UDF-backed cultural forum has submitted a letter to the government demanding that roughly 15 specific individuals be kept away from leadership roles.