‘Resigned to avoid controversy’: Sunny Joseph defends Benny Thomas appointment, says no legal issues

Minister Sunny Joseph | Photo credit: K. Ragesh

Kerala Minister for Electricity and Parliamentary Affairs Sunny Joseph defended the appointment of his brother-in-law Benny Thomas as the next private secretary, saying there were “no legal issues” with the appointment and that Mr Thomas had resigned “only to avoid further controversy”.

Speaking to reporters in Kannur on Monday, the Minister said that Mr. Thomas himself had taken the initiative and stepped down after the appointment became a subject of political debate. “The purpose of the resignation was to prevent the controversy from continuing and affecting his work,” he said.

Mr Joseph said several people had urged Mr Thomas to continue the post and that he shared that view.

Referring to criticism raised during a recent meeting, KPCC said a brief remark was made on the matter, but the person later clarified the statement.

The minister claimed that Mr Thomas was chosen because of his “ability, loyalty, credibility and close connection with the public”.

He said he required such a person to assist him in handling important portfolios, including electricity and environment. “He was appointed because he was able to help me effectively. Unfortunately, it became a controversy,” he said.

However, Mr Joseph refused to answer questions on whether Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan had asked Mr Thomas to resign.

The resignation came Sunday amid mounting criticism of the appointment. In his resignation letter to the chief minister, Mr Thomas reportedly said he was stepping down because the appointment had become controversial and exposed the party to criticism.

He later said he did not want his presence on the minister’s personal staff to “cast a shadow over Mr Joseph’s public life”.

The appointment drew criticism from opposition parties and other public figures. The issue was also raised at a recent KPCC meeting where senior Congress leader MM Hassan reportedly said that great care should be taken in appointing relatives to staff positions.

Allegations of nepotism

The controversy has fueled allegations of nepotism against the Congress-led government, with opposition parties citing the appointment as an example of “patronage in public office”.

Senior CPI(M) leader MV Jayarajan claimed that this was “not the first such appointment” and alleged that several of the minister’s relatives have been appointed to cooperative institutions and other organizations over the years through political influence.

On behalf of the individuals, Mr. Jayarajan said that nearly 10 close relatives of Mr. Joseph have secured positions in various institutions over the past three decades. He claimed that the appointments were not based on merit but were “politically facilitated”.

Published – 08 Jun 2026 11:51 IST