Lawyer not keen on legal adviser job: Kerala government tells High Court

KOCHI: The controversy triggered by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's decision to appoint senior advocate MK Damodaran as his legal adviser is likely to blow over with the advocate indicating that he will not be taking up the job.

The government on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that advocate MK Damodaran will not be joining as the legal adviser. The CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government made the statement when the court was hearing a petition filed by BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan against the appointment of M K Damodaran as the chief minister's legal adviser.

The government suffered a setback on the issue after the opposition parties objected to the appointment on the ground that Da modaran was appearing against the government in some cases.UDF raised the matter in the Assembly and outside. The BJP president, on the other hand, filed a petition in the court against the appointment.

Chief minister Vijayan defended the appointment of Damodaran by citing that the latter is not taking any remuneration for his services.The matter became an embarrassment for the Left Front as AISF , the student wing of CPI, passed a resolution that Damodaran be removed.

The government has now explained that Damodaran will not be joining as the chief minister's legal adviser. A division bench of the High Court will consider the case on Thursday.