CM Pinarayi Vijayan's PR disaster: Many questions unanswered

Kerala ex-journo who is now settled in Mumbai has been approaching media firms to promote govt and its activities
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.File photo | PTI
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The public relations disaster that left the state government and the CPM red-faced, raises bigger questions on the government’s accountability. Despite both the CPM and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan distancing themselves from the PR disaster over the controversial interview, mystery shrouds the whole incident, with numerous unanswered questions.

Soon after the interview courted controversy, the publication had clarified that the portions wrongly attributed to the CM were given by the PR agency Kaizzen which reportedly facilitated the interview. However, the CM denied engaging any agency and said it was ex-CPM MLA T K Devakumar’s son T D Subramanian who approached him for the interview. Despite repeated attempts, neither the officials of Kaizzen nor Subramanian were available for comments.

A PR person who claims to be working to promote the interests of the Left government, has been persistently approaching media firms for some time now in this regard. An ex-journalist from the state, and now based in Mumbai, he has been actively trying to promote the LDF government, for reasons hitherto unclear.

Currently a public relations strategist, he has been approaching quite a few senior journalists and media firms, seeking to promote the state government and its activities through them. A media agency in the capital was approached and offered the chief minister’s interview.

In a few other instances, articles on controversial and widely debated issues including gold smuggling through Karipur airport, government’s position on the Justice Hema Committee report and articles in general on the Kerala Brand were offered for publication by the same individual.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
CM Pinarayi rejects allegations over PR agency engagement

Sources said the firm had approached visual media channels too. They point out that the individual approached journalists and media firms - both within the state and outside including the national capital - seeking to project the government. “He started working as a PR strategist for the government about two months ago. Going by the latest information received, he has been given marching orders, after the recent PR disaster,” sources said.

A section in the CPM is unhappy with the PR row, as they feel the government has left several pertinent questions unanswered. “If the interview was indeed facilitated by the CPM leader’s son, and with the CM himself admitting that serious remarks were wrongly attributed to him, shouldn’t there be action?” asks political commentator J Prabhash. “Such a sensitive remark infiltrating his interview is serious. It did happen, yet no action is forthcoming. It can be inferred that there’s indeed something fishy in the whole incident. It seems a deliberate act to not proceed against some particular person,” he pointed out.

There are indications that the PR disaster was the result of a sore lack of communication and coordination among senior officials in the government, especially within the CMO. It’s a fact that a number of politicians have engaged PR agencies for image makeover and brand-building. Such agencies prefer to operate more on social media for wider visibility. However, in the CM interview, it was apparent over-enthusiasm from some corners that led to the latest fiasco.

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