THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mounting political pressure and back-to-back criticisms by the High Court have put the government in a fix over the future leadership of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
The Congress and the BJP have raised objection against giving incumbent president P S Prasanth a second term.
The government and the CPM had earlier decided in principle to give Prasanth a second term considering the smooth conduct of the previous Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage.
The TDB president is the de facto chief organiser of the pilgrimage and hence the government is wary of assigning the task with a new person just weeks ahead of the upcoming pilgrimage season. The tenure of Prasanth and another member Ajikumar will end on November 12. The third member who was nominated six months ago has a two-year tenure as per the rule.
“The next leadership of the TDB will be decided after discussions in the party and the LDF. A final decision will be made on or before November 8,” Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan told TNIE. An extension for Prasanth and Ajikumar was a natural choice for the government if not for the controversy over the gold theft at Sabarimala. As ordered by the High Court, a special investigation team is probing the case. The High Court had criticised the present board during the course of the hearing.