Thiruvananthapuram: Vydyuthi Bhavan, the headquarters of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) in the state capital, has been witnessing a curious agitation over the last few days. Employees who are members of the Left trade unions in KSEB have been staging a 'satyagragha' against the management, which was appointed by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state.
However, a breakthrough is now in sight. Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty held talks with leaders of the joint front of Left unions and has reached an agreement to end the stir. The leaders who met the Minister included S Harilal, president of the Electricity Employees' Association affiliated to the pro-CPM trade union CITU, and M P Gopakumar, general secretary of the Electricity Workers' Federation which owes allegiance to CPI's trade union AITUC.
Following the talks, the minister instructed B Ashok, the KSEB chairman, to take a lenient view of the pro-Left employees' demands. Ashok, who is presently recuperating from COVID-19 infection, is expected to hold an online discussion with the union leaders on Saturday.
"We will call off the agitation after the talks with the KSEB chairman," said the union leaders.
