Five years of LDF: K.T. Jaleel fifth to resign from Pinarayi Cabinet

There have been five ministers that have resigned from the LDF government before the completion of its five-year term. KT Jaleel recently became the latest victim after the Lokayukta ruled that he had no moral right to continue after he was accused of nepotism.

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): K.T. Jaleel, Higher Education Minister with the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet in Kerala, is the fifth one to resign within the five-year term of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The resignation was following the Lokayukta verdict on the appointment of Jaleel’s relative to the Minorities Corporation as General Manager.

Former Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan was the first to resign from the Pinarayi cabinet in connection with the appointment of his relative Sudheer Nambiar as an MD to the Kerala Industrial Enterprises Limited, a public sector company.

Jayarajan’s resignation was on October 14, 2016, even before the new Left cabinet completed 6 months. However, the Vigilance department acquitted Jayarajan from the case and later he returned to the cabinet on August 14, 2018.

A.K. Saseendran was the next in line after Jayarajan after he was allegedly involved in a ‘honey trap’ controversy on March 26, 2017. Saseendran declared his resignation hours within the TV channel released the phone conversation of Saseendran. Saseendran returned to the cabinet on 2018 February 1 after being acquitted of the charges.

After Saseendran’s resignation, Thomas Chandy, who reached the Pinarayi cabinet as an NCP representative, was accused of lake encroachment in connection with a Lakeside resort in Alappuzha that he owns. Thomas Chandy resigned on November 15, 2017, after the High Court order. Thomas Chandy was part of the Pinarayi cabinet only for 8 months.

Mathew T Thomas of Janata Dal S, who was the Water Resources Minister, resigned on November 26, 2018, following inner conflicts within the party. Mathew T Thomas resigned as directed by the party’s national leadership to give the opportunity to K Krishnankutty, a senior leader with the party. As a replacement, K Krishnankutty took over as the Water Resources Minister on 2018 November 27.

K.T. Jaleel has been haunted by controversies right from the time he assumed office with the Pinarayi Cabinet. Finally, after the Lokayukta verdict said that he has no moral right to continue, Jaleel resigned with no other go.