THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Captain Pinarayi Vijayan's team had lost five wickets in its first innings. In the second innings, where the veteran players were replaced by a team of freshmen, the team lost its first wicket soon after it celebrated its first anniversary. It was minister Saji Cheriyan who threw away his wicket carelessly.

Saji Cheriyan had to resign from the post of Minister of Culture and Fisheries following allegations that he had insulted the Constitution at a party event. With this, the team suffered a setback. The Pinarayi Vijayan team, which completed one and a half years in office, has been facing several bouncers of controversies in recent times. The team lost its first wicket unexpectedly while it was defending strongly against the attacks.

Almost all the bouncers were directed against the CM. Some of these bouncers were revelations regarding gold smuggling case, protests that followed, black masks, protest inside plane, EP Jayarajan's defence against attackers, arrest of PC George, attack on Rahul Gandhi MP's office and AKG Centre attack. This was followed by the resignation of Saji Cheryian in the name of disrespecting the constitution.

Five ministers had resigned in the first Pinarayi government, which had experienced leaders. EP Jayarajan, who was known as the chief minister's confidant, was the first to resign from the first Pinarayi cabinet. He resigned as Industries Minister on October 14, 2016, following allegations that he had appointed his kin to key positions. Although he was later acquitted by the Vigilance, it took two years for him to return to the cabinet. Transport Minister A K Saseendran resigned from the LDF government on March 26, 2017, after allegations of misconduct with a woman surfaced against him. Saseendran announced his resignation after a private television channel released an audio tape of the alleged lewd conversation of the minister with a woman on phone. Following this, Thomas Chandy became the minister. He also resigned on November 15, 2017, after facing encroachment allegations. Saseendran, who was acquitted, became a minister once again. On November 26, 2018, Mathew T Thomas resigned as water resources minister as per the agreement in JDS. Instead, K Krishnankutty became the minister. KT Jaleel was the fifth to resign after the Lok Ayukta found him guilty of nepotism. He resigned on April 13, 2021.