KPCC General Secretary Chandran Thillankeri appointed as Minister Sunny Joseph’s Special Private Secretary

KANNUR: In a strategic move to contain fallout from a nepotism controversy, KPCC General Secretary Chandran Thillankeri is set to take over as the Special Private Secretary to Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph.
The appointment follows the resignation of Benny Thomas, the Minister’s brother-in-law, who previously held the post of Additional Private Secretary. Benny stepped down amid mounting public and political outrage over his appointment, which critics flagged as a clear case of nepotism.
The controversy proved particularly embarrassing for the ruling UDF coalition. Having aggressively campaigned against back-door appointments and nepotism during the previous LDF regime, the UDF found itself facing identical allegations almost immediately after assuming power. As internal and external pressure intensified, the leadership ultimately decided to remove Benny to mitigate further political damage.
Chandran Thillankeri, a prominent Congress leader, recently contested the State Assembly elections as the UDF candidate from the Mattannur constituency. He lost the seat to CPI(M) leader and MLA V.K. Sanoj by a margin of 14,168 votes. His appointment is widely viewed as an effort by the party to restore administrative credibility and stabilise the Minister's office.