Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 5 (IANS) Days after senior Kerala Orthodox Church priest Fr Shyju Kurian took membership of the BJP from Union Minister of State for External Affairs, on Friday was removed from all posts that he held by the Church authorities.

Kurian was the secretary of the Nilakkal Dioceses of the Syrian Orthodox Church and held a top post in the Sunday School. He has now been removed from both.

Kurian, however, claimed that he has "taken leave and once on leave, it’s natural to move out of the posts".

Meanwhile, the Church higher ups have now constituted a commission to probe into the allegations of misconduct against him and submit its report in two months' time.