Jose K Mani to be made chief of administrative reforms commission, another vital post also under consideration, instead CPM is targeting…

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani is likely to be made the chief of administrative reforms commission with cabinet rank. The CPM may take over the Rajya Sabha seat resigned by Jose K Mani if a post of cabinet rank is given. Kerala congress sources said the CPM leaders discussed the matter with Jose K Mani.

Kerala Congress leaders said the CPM had assured to give a cabinet rank post to Jose K Mani who lost the assembly elections in Pala by 15,000 votes. The administrative reforms commission was formed with the intervention of the party central leadership to conciliate VS Achuthanandan during the first Pinarayi government.

The chairman of the administrative reforms commission will have 31 employees, an office and a residence in Thiruvananthapuram. With this, the CPM aims to keep Jose active in state politics and crack down on UDF strongholds in central Travancore.

The CPM is also considering setting up an agriculture commission and make him the chief of it if the chief of administrative reforms commission is not given. However, the CPM is also concerned that the formation of a new agriculture commission will lead to a controversy. Although there is an agricultural debt relief commission, the chief is not of cabinet rank. Another thing that bothers the CPM is that the agriculture commission will come under the department of agriculture which is in the hands of the CPI opposing the Kerala Congress.