THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An appointment inside the secretariat is brewing up new controversy leaving CPM cadres incensed. A retired deputy secretary was reinstated in the same portfolio, that too in CM's chief principal secretary K M Abraham’s office inviting tough exchanges among CPM cadres in office. CPM-affiliated employee association felt disapproved of the move and expressed resentment. The employee association said the appointment was a breach of rules and had nothing to do with merit.

Earlier, the finance ministry opposed the appointment which forced a full cabinet meeting to approve it later. According to CPM cadres, the increasing authority of the chief personal secretary within the CM’s coterie helped the move reach fruition. It is unprecedented for a CPM-affiliated organization to come against a high-level appointment inside CM's office. The complaint has also been passed to the CM who will have the final say in matters.

C J Suresh Kumar earlier retired as deputy secretary but was called back to assume office in the same portfolio. The CPM employees association fears such appointments stopping many employees' promotion dreams. Many employees in service are expecting promotion and such appointments which are purely on influence rather than merit break all notions of the politics the party stands for.

The monthly salary of the deputy secretary is Rs 1.08 lakhs.