Kerala Minister Radhakrishnan resigns

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 18 (PTI) Senior CPI(M) leader K Radhakrishnan, the lone LDF candidate to emerge victorious from Kerala in the recent Lok Sabha polls, on Tuesday resigned as state Minister.

He quit as the Kerala Minister for Devaswom and Welfare of SC, ST and Backward Classes and Parliamentary Affairs after winning from Alathur constituency and is expected to go to New Delhi later this month, sources said.

A central committee member of the CPI(M), Radhakrishnan handed over the resignation letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his official residence here.

After handing over his resignation, Radhakrishnan told reporters that he was stepping down with great satisfaction.

He also said he tried to do maximum service for the people in his capacity as a minister.

Before his resignation, Radhakrishnan issued a significant order in which he directed not to use the words “colony”, “sanketham” and “ooru” to describe tribal family settlements.

Instead, he suggested use of the words “nagar,” “unnathi” and “prakriti” to describe such areas, he said in the order.

“The word colony is a symbol of colonial slavery. So, the usage should be abolished,” Radhakrishnan said.

Radhakrishnan had won from Alathur Parliamentary constituency by a margin of 20,111 votes in the April 26 LS polls.