THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior CPM leader E P Jayarajan rejoined the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet on Tuesday after a brief swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan. Governor P Sathasivam administered the oaths of office and secrecy to Jayarajan.
UDF leaders stayed away from the ceremony. Jayarajan had resigned as Industries and Sports Minister in October 2016 over nepotism charges, when the Pinarayi Vijayan was merely five months old. As he returned on Tuesday as the 20th minister, his old portfolios also have been reinstated.
The Kannur strongman was forced to step down after the appointment of his nephew P K Sudheer Nambiar, the son of P K Sreemathi MP, as MD of Kerala Industrial Enterprises Ltd kicked up a storm. An embarrassed LDF government later quashed the appointment.
Jayarajan, who represents the Mattannur constituency, is the second minister to return to the LDF ministry after being forced to step down. NCP's A K Saseendran had resigned as Transport Minister in March 2017 over a phone conversation controversy, but he returned to the ministry in February this year after his replacement, Thomas Chandy, also was forced to resign over a land-related controversy.