KT Jaleel resigns from Pinarayi Vijayan led Kerala government, fifth minister to do so

In the five years of governance, KT Jaleel has become the fifth minister to resign from the Pinarayi Vijayan led LDF government. As the last leg of Pinarayi Vijayan led LDF government draws to a close, with May 2 being the day of declaration of election results, KT Jaleel who was the Higher Education Minister, as well as the Minister for Minority Affairs, tendered his resignation on Tuesday. 

The resignation followed after the Lokayukta report found him guilty of nepotism and recommended that he steps down for abusing the power of his office. KT Jaleel became the fifth minister in the LDF government to quit and the second to quit based on nepotism charges. Here are the other four ministers who had resigned during the rule of the left government.

E P Jayarajan

On the 142nd day of the completion of the LDF government Industry Minister, EP Jayarajan had quit after allegations were raised for illegal appointments of his relatives. Under pressure, he tendered his resignation on October 14, 2016. It was alleged that Jayarajan gave an appointment to his relatives as the head of various public sector undertakings. After the allegations went public, the CPIM state secretary announced his resignation from the post after a state committee meeting. 

However, following this, the state vigilance department was entrusted with inquiring about the allegations and they found no wrongdoings on his part. He was reinstated as a minister after the vigilance report.

AK Saseendran

Transport Minister AK Saseendran was compelled to resign, after a new Malayalam news channel released a sexually explicit phone conversation, a few hours after the channel was launched. He resigned on March 26, 2017. The minister from National Congress Party (NCP) was replaced by Thomas Chandy within four days. Ten months later, Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Court acquitted him in the case, citing lack of evidence. Following this, he was reinstated.

Thomas Chandy

(Late) Thomas Chandy became the second Transport Minister to quit after the Kerala high court came down heavily on him for land encroachment as well as for flouting environmental and land-related laws, to construct an approach road to the minister's resort. He tendered his resignation on November 15, 2017. Tendering his resignation, he said he is resigning after being advised by the Chief Minister. The three-time MLA from Kuttanad passed away in December 2019.

Mathew T Thomas

Kerala Water Resource Minister Mathew T Thomas resignation was after the decision by his party Janata Dal (S) to hand over the portfolio to a party colleague. It was based on its policy of sharing ministerial berth among legislators. He resigned on November 26, 2018, and was replaced by AK Krishnan Kutty.