Gyanesh Kumar Asked Me to Contest on BJP Ticket: Jiji Thomson

Former Keralam Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson has alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar asked him to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate. Thomson told Onmanorama that the conversation took place during a flight to Delhi in 2016, when he was serving as Kerala’s Chief Secretary. According to Thomson, Kumar spoke highly of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked whether he would be interested in contesting from Pathanamthitta. Thomson said Kumar was persuasive, but he promptly declined the proposal.

Thomson, who retired as Keralam Chief Secretary in 2016, also recalled that Kumar had earlier tried to persuade him to enter politics after learning that others had approached him about contesting an election. The allegations have emerged amid ongoing criticism of Kumar’s functioning as Chief Election Commissioner, particularly over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Reports have also referred to objections raised by other Election Commissioners over some decisions and orders. There was no response from Gyanesh Kumar to Thomson’s allegation in the cited reports.