Kerala LP rank holders protest gains momentum, BJP & film personalities back agitation
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 3 (IANS) The indefinite protest by Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) Lower Primary (LP) School Teacher rank holders outside the Secretariat gathered fresh momentum on Monday with the BJP launching a sharp attack on the state government.
A section of Malayalam film and television personalities had already extended support to the agitating candidates.
The BJP top brass has been coming every day, extending their support.
Leading the BJP’s attack, state President and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar highlighted the case of Gopika, who secured the ninth rank in the LP School Teacher examination.
Despite earning a top rank through merit, she was forced to protest outside the Secretariat instead of teaching in a classroom, he said in a social media post.
Calling Gopika’s plight a symbol of the struggles faced by hundreds of qualified youth in Kerala, Chandrasekhar alleged that deserving candidates were being denied appointments while backdoor recruitments favoured those with political connections.
He accused both the Opposition CPI(M) led LDF and the ruling Congress-led UDF of failing to protect merit and employment opportunities for the state’s youth.
Using the slogan “Randalla, Onnanu (Not two, but one)”, Chandrasekhar alleged that both fronts were alike when it came to denying jobs to deserving candidates.
He asserted that the BJP-led NDA stood firmly with Gopika and every rank holder protesting for appointment.
The agitation also received a morale boost as several personalities from the Malayalam film and television industry expressed solidarity with the protesters.
The celebrities urged the government to address the concerns of the rank holders without further delay.
The protesters have been demanding immediate appointments from the LP School Teacher rank list published by the Kerala PSC on May 31, 2025.
They have also sought transparent disclosure of vacancies, alleging that available posts are not being fully reported, thereby delaying appointments despite the existence of a valid rank list.
With political backing growing and public support widening, the protest has emerged as yet another challenge for the government, which continues to face mounting questions over recruitment delays and the future of hundreds of aspiring teachers awaiting appointment.
–IANS
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