Thiruvananthapuram : The ongoing standoff between Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) Chairman B. Ashok and the CPI-M-backed KSEB Officers Association led by President M.G. Suresh Kumar, has seems to have entered a decisive phase with the latter now almost cornered with a new charge against him.
Ashok, who is known for his no-nonsense approach and is also head of the IAS officers association in the state, has refused to back down – a rarity in the state where the unions usually have the last laugh.
For a few weeks now, the Association has been trying its best to take on Ashok, but their attempts, through the medium of strikes and protests, all failed and the only solace came when the suspension of three officials, including Suresh Kumar, was revoked, but they were all transferred to other places.
And when things appeared to have cooled down, came a shocker when the KSEB asked Suresh Kumar to remit a sum of Rs 6.72 lakh for unauthorised use of his official car between 2017 to 2020 while he was the staff of then State Power Minister M.M.Mani.
The figure was arrived after a detailed examination done by the department concerned of the KSEB based on a complaint raised by former staff member K.K.Surendran and one who is related to current Power Minister K. Krishnankutty.
Surendran told the media that he has retired from KSEB and the only reason why he decided to come up with a complaint is he is duty bound towards KSEB which has been his bread and butter and did not wish his organisation to reel under heavy loses, which will eventually end when pensions get choked.
Reacting to this fresh charge against him, Suresh Kumar said this is yet another instance of his being politically targeted and questioned how this order first came out through the media, while he is yet to get it.
With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan now going to the US for treatment starting Saturday and slated to be away for another 2 to 3 weeks, Ashok can be sure that his position as Chairman will be stable as he appears to have got the full support of his Minister Krishnankutty, who belongs to the JD-S party, an ally of the ruling Left.
Krishnankutty appeared to be peeved when he heard about the misuse of the official car by Suresh Kumar.
–IANS
Comments are closed.