Kerala, Nov 15: Kerala’s ruling establishment is on edge as what should have been a routine transition at the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has instead unfolded under the cloud of the Sabarimala gold heist investigation.
On Saturday, veteran and now retired bureaucrat K. Jayakumar assumed office as the new TDB president, but the atmosphere around the appointment remains unsettled. The ongoing probe into the gold heist one that has already sent tremors through the CPI(M)’s top ranks continues to tighten its grip.
The arrest of five individuals earlier this week, culminating in the dramatic detention of N. Vasu, a former Devaswom Commissioner, two-time TDB president, and longtime confidant of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has placed the party in an uncomfortable defensive position. Party insiders acknowledge rising anxiety as the Kerala High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) proceeds without interference from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Jayakumar, who succeeds CPI(M) leader P. S. Prasanth, now steps into a role marked by unprecedented scrutiny. While his administrative experience is widely respected, he faces the dual challenge of navigating pressure from CPI(M)-backed Devaswom unions and responding to the evolving political dynamics surrounding the SIT probe.
The situation is further complicated by the BJP’s renewed push for reforms in Sabarimala’s governance. Union Minister of State for Tourism and prominent Ayyappa devotee Suresh Gopi has reiterated his demand for a complete restructuring of the temple administration, proposing a model similar to that of the Ayodhya Ram Temple. His statements come at a moment when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have openly hinted at “necessary changes” in temple governance.
For the CPI(M), the political timing is particularly damaging. The gold heist emerging during a period of the party’s near-unquestioned dominance now threatens to strengthen the BJP’s longstanding campaign for central intervention and administrative overhaul in Sabarimala.
As speculation rises over possible shifts in control and governance, the new TDB leadership begins its tenure under intense scrutiny, navigating a political storm that shows no signs of easing.