New Delhi: Kannan Gopinathan, the former IAS officer who gained national attention for his principled resignation over the Kashmir issue and later became a fierce critic of the Modi government, has officially joined the Congress party. His entry was orchestrated as a “Delhi operation,” managed entirely by the party’s central leadership, with even senior state leaders in his home state of Kerala reportedly unaware of the specifics.
The move comes ahead of crucial assembly elections in several states, including Kerala. The Congress party plans to leverage Gopinathan’s credibility and strong anti-BJP stance, potentially in voter roll revision campaigns and as a key voice in electioneering.
His induction took place in the presence of another former civil servant who joined the party, Shashikant Senthil. When asked about his entry, Kerala’s Leader of Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, told Manorama Online that while there were rumors, he was not formally informed about the joining ceremony, confirming the centralized nature of the move.
From RSS Sympathizer to Staunch Critic
Gopinathan, an engineer from Puthuppally, has had a unique political and ideological journey. He has openly admitted to being an RSS sympathizer and a regular attendee of shakhas during his college days before a “realization” led him to distance himself from the organization.
His transformation into a government critic culminated in 2019 when he resigned from the civil service in protest against the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. His reason was powerfully articulated: “If someone asks me tomorrow what I did when the fundamental rights of an entire state’s population were violated, I should at least be able to say I resigned my job.”
After his resignation, he became a prominent face in the anti-CAA protests and was detained by police on multiple occasions in Mumbai and Agra.
The Officer Who Won Hearts
Before his resignation, Gopinathan became a hero in Kerala during the devastating 2018 floods. Unbeknownst to many, he worked incognito at a relief camp in Kochi, carrying sacks of supplies alongside other volunteers. His identity as a senior IAS officer was only revealed later, earning him widespread admiration.
His administrative competence was also noted. While serving in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, he is credited with turning the loss-making power distribution corporation profitable. His popularity in Mizoram was such that, according to social media anecdotes, politicians would promise voters, “We will bring your Kannan sir back.”
When asked if he would contest elections and from where, Gopinathan gave a non-committal reply, listing the many states he has lived and worked in, from Kerala and Haryana to Mizoram and Maharashtra.
