Kerala minister A K Saseendran resigns over allegations of sexual misdemeanour

KOCHI: Kerala Transport Minister A K Saseendran has resigned from the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government 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.

Saseendran, the national executive member of Nationalist Congress Party, a coalition party of LDF, said the allegations are not true. He welcomed investigation into the incident by any agency. The minister said his resignation should not be seen as an acceptance of guilt.

“My resignation is to uphold political morality,” he said.

Saseendran said he had discussed the matter with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “He did not ask for my resignation,” he said, adding that Vijayan had advised him to do what he considered as the right thing.

The resignation of the minister is a big setback for the LDF. Saseendran is the second minister after E P Jayarajan, former Industries minister, to quit the 10-month-old Vijayan cabinet. Jayarajan from the CPM had resigned over allegations of nepotism.



The allegations of misconduct with a woman by a minister and his subsequent resignation have come at a time when the LDF and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are locked in an electoral battle for Malappuram parliament seat.

As soon as media reports surfaced, Saseendran, an MLA from Elathur constituency, cancelled all his public programmes at Kozhikode and remained indoors at the government guesthouse.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said he viewed the allegations 'seriously'. “After examining all facts, a decision will be taken,” he said.