Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan joined Congress on Monday, October 13, 2025, in New Delhi. Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and party leader Pawan Khera were present at the event. Mr. Gopinathan had served as secretary for the power, urban development, and town and country planning departments of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. He resigned in 2019 to protest the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress Party welcome the Kannan Gopinathan
“We warmly welcome Shri Kannan Gopinathan, former IAS officer and fearless voice for democracy, to the Congress family,” Mr. Venugopal posted on X, sharing a photo from the press meet where Mr. Gopinathan was invited to join the party. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar also attended the press meeting.
“He (Mr. Gopinathan) has been a principled administrator, an active citizen, and a committed democrat. His joining will give a boost to our movement that protects the Constitution, freedom,” Mr. Venugopal said.
Former IAS officer appreciate Congress Party
“I resigned (as an officer) in 2019. One thing was clear then: the direction the Government wanted to take the country was not right. It was clear I had to fight against the wrong. I traveled across 80-90 districts and spoke with people. I met several leaders. Then it became clear that only the Congress party can take the country in the right direction,” Mr. Kannan Gopinathan said after joining the party.
“Abrogating Article 370 might be a decision of the Government. But if you decide to shut down an entire state, jail all journalists, MPs, and former CMs, and shut down transportation, communication, and the internet, then is it right? This is a question not just for me but for all of us. Can this be right in a democratic nation? Shouldn’t voices have been raised against this? I raised that question, and I stand by it even today,” he added.
Hailing from Kottayam in Kerala, Mr. Gopinathan completed his schooling in Puthuppally and later earned a degree in electrical engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology. He joined IAS in 2012.
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