Kerala Transport Commissioner Tomin Thachankary was on Friday removed from his post, following his controversial sycophantic birthday celebrations on August 10 and 11.
The decision was taken after a cabinet meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, wherein Kerala Transport Minister had reportedly raised the demand for his removal. The unfavourable report of state Chief Secretary SM Vijayanand in this regard too purportedly played a key role in Thachankary’s removal.
ADGP Anantha Krishnan will now take over as the new Transport Commissioner, while Thachankary has been allowed to continue as the Managing Director of Kerala Books and Publishing Society (KBPS).
The commissioner had drawn severe flak over his controversial birthday celebrations. On Wednesday, the commissioner had expressed regret for the same in a public event that was graced by the Transport Minister. The minister however left the venue while Thachankary was still delivering his speech.
The minister had then dismissed reports of him having approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demanding Thachankary’s removal. It has been a while since Saseendran has been at loggerheads with Thachankary for taking many decisions without consulting him. This includes the recently implemented ‘no-helmet-no-petrol’ rule in the state.
The minister, who had initially sought explanation from the Commissioner had made it clear that the Motor Vehicles Department must not implement any rules that would cause inconvenience to the public.
The subsequent birthday celebrations followed soon after, even as tensions over the helmet rule still persisted between the two.
The celebrations had irked the minister enough to issue a public statement condemning the Commissioner’s circular to all RTOs in the state to celebrate his birthday.