CPM Considers Top Leaders for Travancore Devaswom Board Amid Sabarimala Gold Controversy
Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of the Sabarimala gold smuggling controversy, the CPM is considering party leaders for the post of President of the Travancore Devaswom Board. A decision regarding this will be made at today’s CPM state secretariat meeting. There is a consensus within the party not to re-appoint the current President, P.S. Prasanth. There is a possibility that a party leader from the southern districts will be appointed as President.
It is indicated that former Haripad MLA T. K. Devakumar and former Attingal MP A. Sampath are being considered for the President’s post. The final decision will be made at today’s state secretariat meeting. Thiruvananthapuram District Council member Vilappil Radhakrishnan has been decided as the CPI representative to the board.
The Travancore Devaswom Board consists of three members, including the President. There will be one member each from the Nair, Ezhava, and Scheduled Caste communities. The term of the Scheduled Caste member has not yet expired. This time, the CPI will appoint the Nair representative. Vilappil Radhakrishnan is likely to be nominated by the CPI. The President’s post has Ezhava representation.
There is a demand among leaders to consider candidates from Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts for the Board President’s position. There are also reports that Alappuzha District Secretariat member T. K. Devakumar might be considered. Devakumar is currently the Chairman of Coirfed. The remaining member on the board is also from Alappuzha. Therefore, leaders share the opinion that Devakumar’s chances are low. P.S. Prasanth is a leader who joined CPM from Congress.
The government had initially considered extending the term of the Travancore Devaswom Board by another year. The terms of the current Board President P.S. Prasanth and Board member A. Ajikumar are set to expire on November 12. With the Sabarimala Mandalakalam pilgrimage season scheduled to begin on November 16, the government had planned to extend the current board’s term until June 2026. However, the controversy intensified in the interim.
The current board came under suspicion in connection with the re-gilding of the panels of the gold-plated ‘Dwarapalaka’ sculptures, which were taken to Chennai this year for the process, having previously been gilded in 2019. In this scenario, the government is concerned that allowing the current board to continue might lead to setbacks, including from the courts.