After months of conflict between Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) chairman B Ashok, and CPI(M)-backed KSEB Officers' Association led by its president M G Suresh Kumar, the former was transferred, on Thursday, July 14. Ashok will now serve as secretary of the state agricultural department, and the current water resources secretary Dr Rajan N Khobragade will be the new KSEB chairman.

The standoff between Ashok and the association began in February this year after he put up a post on social media criticising the Left unions for misuse of power. He alleged that the “KSEB-owned land was handed over to various co-operative societies in the name of tourism development without getting the full board's or government's approval.” This had created a huge political row.

Later, he suspended a female engineer and then suspended the president of KSEB Officers’ Association MG Suresh Kumar and the deputy chairman for raising ''false allegations and statements'' against the KSEB management and for organising a protest in violation of rules. They were later reinstated, but all three were transferred to distant places.

When this standoff became big news and Ashok started getting plaudits for the forceful manner in which he handled the protests, the government decided to back Ashok, but assured the association that their woes would be addressed. At a conciliation meeting held under the aegis of top political leaders in May, things were ironed out and the government promised that things will be taken up and sought time.

Ashok, speaking to Asianet, said that he was satisfied with the changes he brought about in the board and was happy in exiting from the board after a year of service. “While I was the chairman, all things were carried out after informing officials concerned and the minister, and the changes were made in the board despite problems,” he said. Further, he added that transfers happen in all institutions and he had no comments to make on that.

(With IANS inputs)