Kerala Minister’s Brother-in-Law Resigns Over Nepotism Allegations

Kerala Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph on Monday said that his brother-in-law resigned as his personal staff to avoid controversy following allegations of nepotism by the opposition. 

Congress leader Benny Thomas, who is Joseph's brother-in-law, had been appointed as his Additional Private Secretary after the UDF came to power. Following criticism from the opposition, Thomas submitted his resignation to the chief minister on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters



here, Joseph confirmed that Thomas had resigned. Joseph said he had examined the legal aspects of the appointment after the allegations surfaced and found that there were no specific criteria governing appointments to ministers' personal staff. 

"From a political perspective, people can verify Benny Thomas's public standing in Ullikkal, his native place in Kannur. My colleagues in Kannur had suggested that he continue in the personal staff, and I also supported that view," he said.