From KSRTC Driver to Assembly Staff: The Turnaround for Yedhu

After a high-profile public dispute led to the loss of his livelihood, a former KSRTC driver finds a new start in the corridors of the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

The incident that unfolded on the night of April 27, 2024, near the Palayam Safalyam complex in Thiruvananthapuram, felt like a scene from a gritty nattuvartha report. A late-night confrontation on the road between a KSRTC driver, Yedhu, and the then-Mayor Arya Rajendran—along with her husband, Sachin Dev—quickly spiraled into a police case. The allegation was that Yedhu had blocked their vehicle and responded with inappropriate gestures, a charge that cost him his temporary job as a KSRTC driver.

For months, the fallout of that row dominated local kerala discourse. Stripped of his role in the state transport corporation, Yedhu faced the harsh reality of urban employment instability. To keep his household running, he turned to the gig economy, taking up work as a delivery boy for Swiggy. It was a stark shift for a man who had been a familiar face behind the steering wheel of a public transport bus, highlighting the precarious nature of temporary state-contracted jobs.

A Fresh Chapter at the Assembly

The narrative has taken an unexpected turn this June. Reports confirm that Yedhu has been appointed as a driver at the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The position, offered on a daily-wage basis, marks a transition away from the public scrutiny that characterized his final days at the KSRTC.

While the appointment has drawn attention given the high-profile nature of his previous conflict, it remains a administrative decision within the state legislative framework. For Yedhu, the move to the Assembly represents a return to a more stable professional environment after a period of significant personal and financial turbulence.

The Bigger Picture

This case serves as a poignant window into the vulnerability of daily-wage and temporary workers in the public sector. When personal conflicts escalate into legal battles, those on the lowest rung of the employment hierarchy often suffer the most immediate consequences. While media programs and digital outlets have tracked this saga closely—often focusing on the political weight of the individuals involved—the broader reality remains the struggle for job security in a state where government-linked roles are highly coveted but often insecure.

The transition from a KSRTC bus to the legislative pool is not just a change of scenery; it reflects how individual lives are often tethered to the shifting tides of local politics and administrative discretion. Whether this new role provides the long-term stability Yedhu sought remains to be seen, but for now, the episode serves as a reminder of how quickly the professional trajectory of an ordinary citizen can be rerouted by a single, high-stakes public encounter.