Honeymoon jolt: Kerala CM's controversial legal adviser quits

Kerala CM's legal advisor MK Damodaran quits; claims that he had not accepted the post.  Kerala Govt. informs Kerala High Court that Damodaran had not accepted the post.  Earlier, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan had defended Damodaran and informed the assembly that his legal advisor does not accept remuneration. Damodaran's decision 'not to accept the post' comes close after the High Court considered a petition filed by BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan

In a major jolt to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, the legal advisor to Kerala Chief Minister was forced to 'quit' after he invited criticism from all quarters for appearing for clients with a shady past and the accused in corruption cases. 

MK Damodaran's appointment as the legal advisor to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had snowballed into a major political controversy after the senior lawyer appeared for clients with shady past including lottery baron Santiago Martin. Under fire from all sides, Damodaran was forced to quit the post on Tuesday but claimed that he had not accepted the post yet.

The decision follows a raging controversy and a petition filed by BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan in the High Court questioning Damodaran's appointment. The youth wing of Communist Party of India (CPI), the second largest constituent in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had also come out in public against Damodaran.

It was the first major controversy after Pinarayi Vijayan assumed office as Chief Minister of Kerala on 26 May and it claimed the top counsel who is known to have helped the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and Vijayan in many legal battles including the SNC Lavalin case in which Vijayan was also an accused. 

Responding to Rajashekharan's petition, the state government informed the High Court on Tuesday that Damodaran had not accepted the position of the legal adviser with the rank of Principal Secretary though an order was issued in that respect.   

Rajasekharan had also questioned the validity of legal opinion given by legal adviser to the Chief Minister if it went against the view of Advocate General, who is supposed to give legal advice to the government. Closely after the government made its stand clear in the High Court on Tuesday, Damodaran told Asianet News that he would not accept the post of legal adviser. 

The CPM now claims that the legal adviser had not taken charge and hence, he need resign! Last week, responding to criticisms raised by the Opposition, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had defended Damodaran saying that the latter does not receive any remuneration for his giving advice. The Governor had also issued an order appointing Damodaran as legal advisor to the CM with the rank of a Principal Secretary. 

There are rumours that Damodaran, who is a former Advocate General, was not ready to accept the post of principal secretary which is lower in ranking. There are reports that he quit after realising that he would not be able to take up cases of many of his clients and challenge the government stand while serving as the legal advisor to the CM. 

 Damodaran had come under severe criticism for appearing for Santiago Martin, the controversial lottery baron. He had also appeared for INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan in a corruption case related to Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation and for a granite quarry owner.