The “nepotism” bug has now bitten the BJP in Kerala. Kerala BJP president K. Surendran has found the tables turned on him against the backdrop of revelations that his son has landed a job at a central government research establishment in the state.

The controversy has erupted at a time the state’s Left government has been accused of favouritism involving relatives of CPM leaders, with the Congress and the BJP taking the lead in levelling allegations.

Surendran’s son K.S. Harikrishnan, a BTech mechanical engineering graduate, has been appointed as a technical officer at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre of Biotechnology (RGCB) in Thiruvananthapuram. His father has, however, categorically denied the allegation of favouritism and insisted that Harikrishnan got selected through a transparent and merit-based process.

Local media reports have claimed the vacancy was created especially for Harikrishnan, whose appointment was allegedly fast-tracked in June with a basic salary of Rs 70,000 per month. But Surendran said Harikrishnan had followed the due process of applying for the position that was advertised in newspapers and fulfilled all selection criteria.

Surendran smelt a conspiracy in fingers being pointed at his son’s appointment on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Kerala.

“There has been no intervention in the appointment of my son. I am telling you with full responsibility that my son’s appointment is purely based on merit and by following all proper procedures,” he told the media conference. The Telegraph contacted several senior RGCB officials but none agreed to speak on the details of the appointment.The Kerala state secretary of CPM youth wing DYFI, V.K. Sanoj, said: “There has to be a through investigation into this. Action should be taken against those responsible and this appointment should be cancelled.”