CM has no advisers this time; party yet to decide

Kozhikode: The CPM leadership has not made it clear if Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will have any advisers this time. It is learnt that this practice is unlikely to continue.

The chief minister's science adviser B C Dathan has been reappointed to mentor post. John Brittas who was media adviser is currently Rajya Sabha MP. Raman Srivastava who was police adviser also is not appointed this time.

After Gita Gopinath was appointed as chief economist in International Monetary Fund (IMF), the CM had no financial adviser also. Media adviser Prabha Varma has been appointed as media secretary.

The chief minister's advisers were blamed during the first term of the government following some lapses. Many of them did not even receive any remuneration.

Raman Srivastava only gave advice to the CM only during emergency situations and did not make any interventions in the daily affairs. However, he was blamed for the amendment in Police Act which was imposed for regulating social media. Later, this was withdrawn and the CM clarified that the adviser had no role in it.

Though he was media adviser, John Brittas was in charge of coordinating the Delhi and foreign trips of the chief minister. He played a key role in developing an image for the LDF and the CM during election.

By appointing Gita Gopinath as financial adviser, the CM intended a major shift in the traditional approach of the LDF. Though a group of the party leaders were unhappy over this move, the chief minister refused to change his decision.