Key Vijayan aide Abraham quits KIIFB post as Left faces post defeat fallout

Thiruvananthapuram, May 5 (IANS) A day after the CPI-M-led Left suffered its worst-ever electoral drubbing in Kerala, K. M. Abraham, widely regarded as a trusted aide of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, signalling the first major administrative fallout of the verdict.

Abraham, a 1982 batch IAS officer who retired as Chief Secretary in 2017, had continued to wield significant influence in the state’s administrative machinery.

In 2021, he was appointed Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and accorded Cabinet rank, an unusual move that underscored his proximity to the political leadership.

His resignation comes amid mounting scrutiny following a disproportionate assets case.

The Kerala High Court had recently ordered a CBI probe into allegations that Abraham amassed wealth beyond known sources of income during his tenure in the Finance Department. Though the Supreme Court subsequently stayed the order, the controversy had intensified pressure on him to step aside.

For a bureaucrat long seen as both influential and unconventional, the exit marks a dramatic turn.

Abraham played a key role in shaping Kerala’s financial architecture, including the design and evolution of the KIIFB, the state’s primary vehicle for mobilising funds for large-scale infrastructure projects.

He was also instrumental in major administrative reforms, such as the Modernising Government Programme, and earlier gained national attention for exposing irregularities in the Sahara group case during his tenure at the SEBI.

Known for his academic depth and relentless work ethic, Abraham’s career has often straddled both innovation and controversy.

In the bureaucracy, while some regarded him as upright and forward-looking, critics have questioned some of his policy choices, particularly those involving financial risk and public debt.

His decision to step down assumes added significance in the political context.

The Left Front, which had sought a historic third consecutive term, now finds itself grappling with a sweeping defeat and growing calls for accountability.

Abraham’s resignation is being seen as part of a broader reset within the establishment as the government transitions out of power.

While no official statement detailed the reasons for his exit, the timing leaves little doubt about its political undertones.

As the CPI-M)begins internal assessment after its electoral setback, the departure of one of the Chief Minister’s closest bureaucratic allies underscores the scale of churn within Kerala’s power corridors.

Vijayan submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar on Monday night and has been asked to continue as a caretaker till the new Congress-led UDF government assumes office.

–IANS

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