AK Saseendran to exit Kerala cabinet as NCP opts for Thomas K Thomas

Thiruvananthapuram: Forest minister AK Saseendran will exit the state cabinet soon, confirmed NCP leadership. NCP leader PC Chacko here on Saturday announced that the party decided to replace Saseendran with Kuttanad MLA Thomas K Thomas in the cabinet. He told the media that NCP national president Sharad Pawar already approved this decision. Chacko will meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with Saseendran and Thomas on October 3. 

As the CM was busy with the politburo meeting, the NCP leaders failed to meet him earlier. The CM is expected to return to the state capital on Sunday. 

Sharad Pawar directed the three leaders to recommend Thomas K Thomas's entry into the state cabinet. At the same time, Saseendran is irked by the party's decision. He has been trying to organise the maximum party members in his favour. Sources close to Saseendran hinted that CPM will delay its decision on his removal from the cabinet because of the difference of opinion within NCP. However, Thomas K Thomas is confident to get elevated as minister as he thinks that LDF would not reject the demand put forward by the NCP leaders. 

After the assembly polls in 2021, Thomas K Thomas proposed that both MLA in the party should share the ministerial post for 2.5 years. But the party did not accept it. Amid this, PC Chacko joined the party and was elected as the state president. Though initially, he ignored demand of Thomas, he later accepted it as paving the way for Saseendran's removal from the cabinet.