Thiruvananthapuram: In an explosive revelation that has ignited a massive political row across India, former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson has claimed that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar persuaded him to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. According to Thomson, the offer was made in 2016 when both officials were still active IAS officers.
The 2016 Flight Conversation
Thomson, a 1980-batch Kerala cadre IAS officer, recalled that the conversation took place during a flight to New Delhi in 2016. Gyanesh Kumar (a 1988-batch IAS officer at the time) reportedly inquired about Thomson’s post-retirement plans.
”He suggested that the best option was to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate from the Pathanamthitta constituency in Kerala,” Thomson stated. He further added that Kumar assured him he could become a Union Cabinet Minister if he won. Thomson promptly declined the proposal, stating he had no intention of entering active politics.
Nationwide Backlash & Opposition Demands
The revelations come at a sensitive time when the Election Commission of India is facing internal friction and opposition protests regarding electoral roll decisions.
Rahul Gandhi’s Reaction: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the CEC, posting on social media that Gyanesh Kumar was used to “recruit candidates for the BJP” while serving as a bureaucrat, before being positioned to manage the election commission.
With mounting pressure from various political parties, these claims have raised serious questions about civil service neutrality and institutional independence at the top level.
