A' camp has free run in Kerala Students Union polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the poll debacle in 2016 Assembly elections, the ‘A’ group has bounced back leaving the ‘I’ group behind with just one seat, Thiruvananthapuram, in the KSU elections. In fact, the ‘I’ group has further split with legislator K. Muraleedharan’s loyalist winning the Kollam district and Kannur war horse K. Sudhakaran’s man wresting Kannur district. Kozhikode native K.M. Abhijith, who belongs to the ‘A’ camp is the new KSU president who will replace the current president, V.S. Joy. V.P. Abdul Rasheed of Kannur from the ‘I’ camp will be one of the state vice-presidents, which has six posts in all.

In a show of strength, the 'A' group has wrested control in KSU elections with group equations between the 'A' and 'I' camps which was at 8:6 being sabotaged. However, it should be noted that if the two factions in the Congress had decided on seat sharing before former PCC chief V M. Sudheeran had stepped down, the deal has now been broken after his exit. A peeved 'I' camp saw their rivals contesting in 11 seats out of the 14 districts. On Saturday, in the presence of election officials of National Students Union of India at Indira Bhavan, counting of Idukki, Kannur and Pathanamthitta was held. While ‘A’ group romped home with Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts in the KSU elections, Sudhakaran group got the Kannur seat.

“In the elections to the post of KSU general secretary, ‘A’ group got five seats and ‘I’ group managed to get seven seats which is the only consolation for the latter faction. When it came to KSU state secretary post, ‘A’ group got nine seats and ‘I’ group had to be content with six seats,” said a KPCC general secretary. The strength of the state and district committees has since been increased. While the district committee strength would be having 25 members, state committee will see 40 members in total. The posts of secretary and general secretary have also been increased. District committee will comprise president, four vice-presidents, 10 general secretaries and secretaries each. When it comes to the state KSU committee, it will have a president, six vice-presidents, 14 general secretaries, 15 secretaries and four national representatives.