Minister E P Jayarajan offers to quit: sources

Thiruvananthapuram: Industries Minister E.P Jayarajan has reportedly offered to resign amidst the raging row over the nepotism in appointment to the PSUs.

Sources said Jayarajan submitted his resignation letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan following the controversy. The announcement on its is likely to be made after the state secretariat meeting to be held on Friday.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet which met here asked the Chief Secretary to probe and submit a report on the issue of backdoor appointments.

Controversy ensued for the four-month-old Vijayan government, which during pre-poll campaigning had promised a clean and transparent governance, after state Industries Minister EP Jayarajan, the number two in the ministry, appointed his close relatives to top posts in the state public sector undertakings (PSUs).

These included his nephew PK Sudheer, who is son of Communist Party of India-Marxist Lok Sabha member PK Sreemathy. Following a huge social media outcry, the appointment was cancelled.

The Congress has demanded a Vigilance probe into the role of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after a number of kin of senior CPI-M leaders got jobs in public sector organisations and as government leaders.