Retired civil servant K M Abraham resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) on Tuesday and submitted his resignation letter to the Chief Minister.

Additional CEO Mini Antony is set to take charge as the new CEO. 

A close aide of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Abraham was appointed KIIFB CEO on January 1, 2018.

His resignation comes shortly after the results of the Kerala Assembly elections, in which the United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a landslide victory by winning 102 seats. Following the defeat, Pinarayi Vijayan resigned as Chief Minister and is currently continuing in a caretaker role until the new government is sworn in.

During the recent election campaign, allegations were raised against Abraham over the alleged misuse of KIIFB funds for advertisements favouring the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Suspended IAS officer B Ashok had alleged that a group of serving officers, led by Abraham, attempted to help the Pinarayi government secure a third consecutive term.

Ashok also claimed that KIIFB had commissioned a Mumbai-based agency to carry out a publicity campaign worth ₹130 crore.

He further alleged that Abraham’s appointment as Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister- after his resignation- contributed to an atmosphere in which civil servants in Kerala were intimidated and discouraged from raising concerns.

According to Ashok, Abraham had emerged as the second-most powerful figure in the government, allegedly bypassing both the Chief Secretary and ministers in decision-making.

“As KIIFB grew into an entity larger than several departments, Abraham became an extra-Constitutional power centre,” Ashok had alleged.