Left Democratic Front (LDF) members including Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, Corporation Mayor A.K. Premajam, district panchayat president Kannathil Jameela, and A. Pradeeepkumar and Elamaram Karim, MLAs, kept away from a function organised to inaugurate the new complex of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) here on Monday.
Mr. Achuthanandan was to inaugurate the public meeting while Ms. Premajam was to distribute mementos. Mr. Pradeeepkumar said the date was finalised without consulting the legislators in the district. Even a reception committee had not been formed. The function was organised in a hasty manner, he said.
Mr. Pradeepkumar said he came to know of it from newspaper reports. Similarly, trade unions had also been kept out of the loop, he said.
LDF district convener Mukkom Mohammed said the KSRTC officials and Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan failed to hold discussions with Mr. Pradeepkumar, who was involved in the project all through.
The complex lacked rest rooms for passengers. The foundation stone for the project was laid by the LDF government in 2009, he said. The KSRTC Employees Association, affiliated of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, boycotted the function stating that the KSRTC management had ignored the demands of the workers. They said the association demanded space for setting up an office of the Employees Cooperative Society and a canteen in the terminal. The Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation had not taken a favourable decision in this regard. The facilities at the Pavangad bus depot were deplorable, they said. Former employees of the KSRTC staged a sit-in at the Mavoor Road junction seeking steps to disburse pension. The police stopped the protesters when they tried to take out a march to the venue. Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) workers also took out a protest march. The Bank Road and Mavoor Road experienced traffic congestion for a few hours in the evening. Vehicular traffic had to be diverted till the function got over.
A. Pradeepkumar, MLA, says he came to know of the function from newspaper reports.
