A  letter, purported to address Nagappan as ‘comrade’ was written on the official letter pad of the mayor and it provides a split-up of the vacant positions (public health expert – 1, doctors 74, staff nurses – 66, pharmacists – 64, lab technicians – 23, multi-purpose workers – 59, optometrists – 2 and part-time sweepers – 6).

“I inform you that the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has decided to appoint employees on a daily wage basis for various posts in the Health Department. The application is accepted online. The designations and list of vacancies are enclosed. It is requested that necessary steps be taken to provide a priority list of candidates,” the letter reads

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Meanwhile, the Mayor denied sending such a letter. Anavoor Nagappan also denied receiving such a letter from the city mayor. Nagappan said that he has not received such a letter and he came to know about it through the media

The BJP asked the mayor to take up the matter with the police cyber cell and seek a probe if the letter was fabricated. Describing the mayor’s letter as shocking, Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that the mayor should resign. “This is a conscious move by the CPI-M,” he added.

BJP state president K Surendran demanded that the corporation governing council be dissolved in view of the letter and that Arya Rajendran must quit. “Is it the role of the CPI-M district secretary to fill jobs in a corporation? Vacancies should have been reported to the employment exchange. This job racket of the CPI-M is a challenge to the people and the lakhs of jobless youths of the state. This is nepotism and violation of the oath of office,” he said

This incident has rocked the ruling CPI-M in Kerala. The controversy surfaced at a time when the DYFI, the youth wing of CPI-M, held a protest march against the BJP government at the Centre under the hashtag – “Where is my job.” Mayor Arya also participated in that protest march.

“While she is protesting in Delhi, asking ‘Where is my job,’ here in her own domain, jobs are given to their own party members,” said Youth Congress leader KS Sabarinathan.

After the mayor’s letter surfaced, Opposition parties staged protests before the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office demanding the resignation of Mayor Arya Rajendran. The protests were staged by Youth Congress and BJP workers.

In this connection, KPCC member J S Akhil has filed a complaint against Mayor Arya Rajendran with the State Election Commission (SEC) for allegedly writing to the CPI-M District Secretary Anavoor Nagappan, seeking a ‘priority list of candidates from the party for contractual appointments in the corporation.

In his complaint, Akhil has sought to declare Arya as incompetent to hold the office, as her action amounts to a “thorough violation of the oath she took.’

Meanwhile, another letter seeking the list of candidates has surfaced. The letter from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation CPI-M Parliamentary party secretary D R Anil to party district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, requesting the list of potential candidates to be appointed for nine vacancies at SIT hospital

Another complaint has been lodged with the Vigilance and anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) by former councilor VA Sreekumar, demanding that the temporary appointments made by the Corporation over the past two years be probed.