THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has reappointed eleven personal staff members of Saji Cherian, former minister for fisheries and cultural affairs. Except one, all others have been absorbed into the personal staff of ministers P A Mohamed Riyas and V Abdurahiman who are in charge of the major portfolios held by Cherian. One person was appointed to the personal staff of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Twenty personal staff members of Cherian were relieved from service on July 20 following the minister’s resignation on July 6. Manu C Pullikkal has been appointed private secretary and A K Siddiq additional private secretary in the personal staff of Abdurahiman. Siddiq is a deputy secretary rank officer in the general administration department and is on deputation.
Sherly Punchayil and Seetha Lekshmi have been appointed additional personal assistants, and Rekhil P M and Jagath Ramachandran office attendants.Those who joined Riyas’ personal staff are Sainan V V as assistant private secretary, K Savaad and Sajayan M R as clerks, Vishnu P and Jibin Gopinath as office attendants. With this, the number of personal staff members of Riyas rose to 28 from the earlier 23. When the government assumed office, the Left front had come to a general understanding that each minister can have only a maximum of 25 personal staff members.
The number was 30 during the previous UDF regime.Shamjith K V has been appointed a clerk in the personal staff of the chief minister. All except one who got reappointment are direct recruits as personal staff members.Recently, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had sought details of the personal staff of ministers. The governor has opposed payment of pension to the ministers’ personal staff. There are allegations that Cherian’s former personal staff members were redeployed to ensure them pension benefits.