Thiruvananthapuram | Congress leader Benny Thomas on Sunday resigned from the personal staff of Kerala Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph amid controversy over his appointment, which had drawn opposition allegations of nepotism.

Thomas, Kannur District Congress Committee (DCC) general secretary and husband of the minister’s sister, had been appointed as Additional Private Secretary to Joseph.

The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that Thomas had submitted his resignation.

In his resignation letter addressed to Chief Minister V D Satheesan, Thomas said he was stepping down as the appointment had become controversial and had drawn criticism against the party.

“Since the appointment has become controversial and the party has had to face criticism over it, I am resigning from the post,” he said.

The appointment has sparked widespread criticism, with opponents alleging that it amounts to nepotism.

The issue also reportedly figured prominently during a recent Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leadership meeting.

The opposition CPI(M) on Saturday intensified its attack on the Congress-led UDF, accusing the front of adopting an “opportunistic stand” on nepotism.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan alleged that CM was maintaining silence on an issue he had strongly opposed while in the opposition.

The controversy was also raised in the Kerala Assembly. CPI(M) MLA and DYFI leader V K Sanoj alleged that the appointment amounted to nepotism and demanded Joseph’s resignation.

However, Joseph defended the appointment, saying his relative was a competent person and that there were no prescribed eligibility criteria for appointing members to a minister’s personal staff.