Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph has strongly defended the controversial appointment of his brother-in-law, Benny Thomas, to his personal staff following allegations of nepotism. Benny Thomas, who is the Kannur District Congress Committee (DCC) general secretary and married to the Minister’s sister, was recently inducted as Sunny Joseph's Additional Private Secretary, triggering a political row.

Responding to the criticism, Minister Sunny Joseph clarified that family relationship was absolutely not the criteria for the selection. He emphasised that Benny Thomas was chosen strictly on the merit of his long-standing career as a dedicated and exemplary public servant.

The Minister highlighted that Thomas has extensive experience in local governance, including serving as a Grama Panchayat member, and had also acted as his Chief Election Agent in the Peravoor constituency during the Assembly elections. He further noted that the appointment was formally recommended by the DCC president.

"There are absolutely no legal hurdles in appointing Benny Thomas, who is an exemplary public servant. It is precisely because I have nothing to hide and no hypocrisy that I inducted him directly into my personal staff, rather than placing him discreetly elsewhere," Minister Sunny Joseph stated.

With this clarification, the Minister maintained that the appointment complies entirely with administrative norms and is based solely on political and administrative merit.