KSU state president Aloshious Xavier brought an end to his five-day-long indefinite hunger strike that commenced on November 2, calling for a re-election for the chairman’s post at Sree Kerala Varma College. This decision came as the Kerala High Court addressed a plea filed by KSU candidate Sreekuttan, who alleged misconduct in the recounting of votes for the chairman’s position. As reported by Manorama News, the court opted to issue a notice to the college management and principal to solicit their response.
The court, however, declined to issue an interim order preventing the SFI candidate from taking on the role of the college union chairman, with Justice P R Ravi insisting on a comprehensive examination of all relevant documents before such an order. The plea will be reevaluated on Thursday. Following the court’s directions, the SFI candidate elected as the chairman of the college union will be allowed to assume the post.
Adv Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Muvattupuzha MLA, who represented the petitioner in court, contended that external individuals had interfered in the election process. On Sunday, KSU claimed that ministers K Radhakrishnan and R Bindhu exerted influence on the college authorities to conduct a recount and announce the SFI candidate as the victor.
This situation sparked a political controversy in the college after KSU candidate Sreekuttan Sivadasan, a visually impaired student, ended SFI’s four-decade-long reign in the college by narrowly defeating their candidate, Anirudhan. The unexpected turn of events prompted SFI activists to demand a recount, eventually sanctioned by the management.
Although a recount was initiated in the evening, it was halted amid protests by KSU activists who alleged that the returning officer had affiliations with a pro-Left union. When the recounting results were disclosed at midnight, Anirudhan was declared the winner by an 11-vote margin. In response, KSU initiated a protest, accusing SFI of sabotaging the recount. They asserted that their chairman candidate had won the crucial position by a single vote over the SFI nominee.
Prominent politicians, including opposition leader V D Satheesan and KPCC Chief K Suhakaran, voiced criticism against SFI and CPM over the incident.
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