Thiruvananthapuram: The governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammad Khan, announced on Saturday that he would initiate a thorough probe into claims of nepotism in appointments to various positions at the state's universities.

He made his statement as tensions between the governor and the ruling CPI(M) grew when the governor used his position as chancellor and stayed the Kannur University's move to appoint Priya Varghese, wife of former Rajya Sabha MP K. K. Ragesh, as an associate professor for Malayalam in the university.

CPI(M) leader Ragesh is also the private secretary to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

"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 2, 3 years", Khan told reporters in New Delhi.

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

The CPI(M) has described as "unconstitutional" governor Arif Mohammad Khan's decision to stay the controversial appointment of the Malayalam Associate professor in Kannur University 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.