Deve Gowda asks JD(S) minister in Kerala to resign

BENGALURU: The Janata Dal (Secular), an ally of Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front, decided to replace Water Resources minister and party MLA Mathew T Thomas. Party supremo H D Deve Gowda on Friday asked Thomas to resign from his post to make way for another party MLA to take over.

While the senior leadership of the party maintained that the move to replace Thomas was predetermined as part of a formula within the party on sharing the post, some leaders in the Kerala unit told The New Indian Express that the move came as a surprise. 

The move to replace Thomas comes in the midst of allegations against his wife over making casteist slurs against staff in his office. The JD(S) has three MLAs, including Thomas, who is being replaced by Krishnankutty, according to party national secretary general Danish Ali.  

“It was an understanding that Thomas will be minister for some time and then allow another MLA to take over. Now the party has decided that it is time for him to make way for another legislator,” said a source. The move, some in the Kerala unit allege, is the handiwork of Danish Ali.