THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With more allegations arising in relation to the office of ministers, the CPM is taking proactive steps to ensure more control over the government in its last year in office. In the wake of controversies regarding appointments and consultancies to various departments, the CPM has decided to strictly enforce the code of conduct for minister’s personal staff. As first step, a meeting of the personal staff, especially private secretaries and additional private secretaries, of CPM ministers has been called on July 23. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will speak to them about the existing code of conduct and the need to adhere to the same.
Earlier, CPM used to monitor the activities of every department. Of late, there’s a feeling there’s no monitoring over personal staff. The decision comes soon after the party secretariat meet, which witnessed criticism against functioning of the CMO. With the party Central Committee meet coming up on July 25 and 26, the CPM wants to sort out certain issues.
Soon after assuming office, the Pinarayi government had brought in a code of conduct for ministers’ personal staff. “The CM told us to maintain vigil in our actions, including while behaving in the office and with visitors,” said an official, working as private secretary to a minister.
“There’s a code of conduct for the personal staff of party ministers. These appointments are mostly political and hence most of them are party members. The CPM leadership has been calling such meetings regularly to discuss various matters,” said the additional private secretary to another minister.