Dr J. Letha was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor by Governor P. Sathasivam
Hibi Eden MLA and student representative Tony Raphy - were forced to resign after known Left follower Dr J. Letha, Director of Technical Education, was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor by Governor P. Sathasivam
Kochi: The Congress in the state suffered a jolt on Saturday when its two syndicate members in the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) – Hibi Eden MLA and student representative Tony Raphy - were forced to resign after known Left follower Dr J. Letha, Director of Technical Education, was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor by Governor P. Sathasivam
After Ms Letha was appointed, Mr Hibi Eden sent his resignation letter to the Governor saying that he was resigning in protest against his decision. The three-member search committee comprising Mr Hibi, higher education additional chief secretary Dr K.M. Abraham and UGC representative Dr S. Baram had proposed three names, including that of Dr Letha, to the Governor for the post of the VC.
It is understood that Dr Abraham had proposed the name of Dr Letha while Mr Hibi in his statement on Saturday said that he had proposed the name of former Cusat registrar Dr A. Ramachandran, who was much more competent and experienced to become the VC. Current PVC Dr Paulose Jacob's name came as the third to make the panel members three as mandated. Dr Ramachandran was understood to be the front-runner to the post but the Governor upset Mr Hibi's applecart which has now created fissures in the Congress party.
Dr Latha, who is the sister of former CPM mayor of Thiruvananthapuram J. Chandra, had earlier got elected to the Kerala University senate as a representative of the CPM- controlled teachers' body. Her family itself is Left-oriented. She had also unsuccessfully contested to the syndicate of the Kerala University under the CPM banner.
It is also understood that the estranged syndicate member in Cusat, Mr Sunny P. Jose, too played a role to upset the calculations of Mr Hibi in the VC selection. Mr Sunny was against both Dr Ramachandran and Dr Paulose Jacob becoming VC of the varsity. Since the name of Dr Latha has come from the government nominee Dr Abraham, the whole episode has raised many eyebrows.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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