Sabarimala gold heist casts shadow as new Travancore Devaswom Board takes charge
Thiruvananthapuram: A day that would ordinarily have marked a routine transition at the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has instead triggered unease in Kerala’s ruling establishment as the Sabarimala gold heist shadow looms large over the proceedings.
As veteran, now retired bureaucrat K. Jayakumar assumes charge as the new TDB president on Saturday, shockwaves from the ongoing probe into the Sabarimala gold heist have unsettled the CPI(M)’s top brass, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The arrest of five people earlier this week, culminating in the dramatic detention of N. Vasu — a two-time former Devaswom Commissioner, former TDB president and long-time confidant of CM Vijayan — has pushed the party into an uncomfortable defensive posture.
Vasu’s arrest, insiders admit, has sparked anxiety within the leadership as the Kerala High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team continues its enquiry without interference from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Jayakumar, who replaces CPI-M member P.S. Prasanth, steps into the role at a moment of unprecedented scrutiny.
While his administrative credentials are widely acknowledged, he is expected to face pressure from the CPI(M)-backed unions that wield significant influence within the TDB.
Political observers say he will also be watched closely for how he navigates the SIT probe and the emerging political crosscurrents around Sabarimala’s administration.
Compounding the CPI(M)’s worries is the assertive stance of the BJP — both at the state and national levels.
Union Minister of State for Tourism and prominent Ayyappa devotee Suresh Gopi has renewed his call for a complete overhaul of Sabarimala’s governance structure, advocating a model akin to the Ayodhya temple administration.
The remarks have drawn attention, particularly at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have publicly signaled that “necessary changes” in temple administration will be taken up.
For the CPI(M), the timing could not be worse.
The gold heist, which occurred during Vijayan’s tenure of unchallenged political dominance, now threatens to become a catalyst for the BJP’s long-held demands to reshape the temple’s governance.
As speculation grows about increased central intervention, the new TDB leadership begins its term under a cloud of uncertainty and a political storm that shows no signs of abating.