Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 18 March 2024
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) has announced its candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha election for Andaman & Nicobar Islands Parliamentary Constituency. D. Ayyappan, Secretary of the CPI (M) Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee and Vice President of CITU A & N State Committee, has been selected to contest the lone parliamentary seat representing the region.
The decision was conveyed by the Party’s Polit Bureau in New Delhi, which has given its full approval for D. Ayyappan’s candidature. A prominent figure in local politics, D. Ayyappan brings with him a wealth of experience.
A Law Graduate from Delhi University, D. Ayyappan has been actively involved in trade union and party work for years. Despite a career in government service, he opted for voluntary retirement 1.5 years ahead of his superannuation to dedicate himself fully to the cause. He served as the Private Secretary to N. Vasudevan, Counsellor (Health & Forests) in the erstwhile Pradesh Council, Andaman & Nicobar Islands from May, 1990 to May, 1994.
During his tenure as Assistant General Secretary and later General Secretary of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association, D. Ayyappan led numerous movements advocating for the rights of government employees. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the successful Teachers’ Agitation of 2011, which compelled the Administration to withdraw an order increasing the working hours of teachers.
Under his leadership, the Association championed various causes, including the extension of Island Special Duty Allowance (ISDA) to locally recruited government servants and the upgrading of pay for neglected categories within the Education Department. His efforts have also led to significant improvements in the working conditions and benefits of clerical cadre staff, including cadre restructuring initiatives.
Beyond his role in labour activism, D. Ayyappan has been a vocal advocate for educational opportunities in the region. As Convener of the Action Committee on Technical Education, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, he spearheaded efforts to reinstate reservation of supernumerary seats in engineering courses at NITs for candidates from the islands.