On Saturday, August 20, Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan stated that he will order a full-fledged investigation into the allegations of nepotism in appointments made to various posts in the Universities in Kerala.

The Governor said this as the ongoing tussle between him and the ruling CPI(M) escalated further after he, using his authority as chancellor, stayed the Kannur University's move to appoint Priya Varghese, wife of former Rajya Sabha MP K K Ragesh, as Malayalam Associate Professor in Kannur University.

"Right from the professor down to the lower staff, they want to have their relations. Now I am going to have a full-fledged inquiry on how many such appointments have been made during the last two to three years", Khan told reporters in New Delhi, as stated in a report by PTI.

The Governor said he has received representations from various quarters regarding such appointments in the universities in the state.

The CPI(M) has described the Governor's decision to stay the controversial appointment of the Malayalam Associate Professor in Kannur University as "unconstitutional" and rejected his "favouritism and nepotism" charge over Varghese's nomination to the post.

Varghese had been proposed to be appointed as an associate professor in the Malayalam department by Kannur University, which triggered a huge political row as she had the lowest research score but the highest in the interview round and was declared first in the selection process.

Backing the Governor, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, has said Khan had actually used his power to prevent Kannur University's attempt to make an illegal appointment.