Conflict over senate seats at Cochin University of Science and Technology

KOCHI: The differences of opinion between Muslim League which holds the education portfolio and the Congress over one slot in the senate of Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has delayed the filling up of 14 seats in the body. It has also resulted in delaying filling seven slots in the Syndicate, the governing body of the university, by three months.

The bone of contention is the nomination to the vacant slot for a polytechnic teacher in senate. Sources said KPCC chief V.M. Sudheeran is keen on having his nominee on the slot while the League wants it in its kitty.

The Governor, who is also the chancellor of the university, recently made his nominations to the Senate as the State government failed to recommend names to him. However, the 14 seats that the government alone can fill continue to remain vacant as the two ruling parties fight over one seat.

The Congress is understood to have finalised the names for the four Syndicate seats, which is its share. They are R.S. Sasi-kumar, V.P. Sajeendran, MLA, teacher representative M.R. Anantharaman and student representative S. Praveen.