KOCHI: Students Federation of India (SFI) had a thumping victory in the union elections held in colleges under Mahatma Gandhi University in Ernakulam on Wednesday. While it won in the majority of colleges in the city, Kerala Students' Union (KSU) won unions in other parts of the district.
The organisation claimed success in 37 out of 41 colleges in which elections were held in the district. Of which, the SFI claimed full panel victory in 12 colleges. Along with autonomous Ernakulam Maharaja’s College; Govt. College, Vypeen; SNM College, Maliankara; IHRD College, Puthenvelikkara; Yeldo Mar Baselios College, Kothamangalam; Indira Gandhi College, Kothamangalam; Manimala Kunnu College, Koothattukulam; RLV College, Tripunithura; and Sanskrit College, Tripunithura are some of the colleges where SFI won all the seats.
The SFI’s district wing claimed the victory was a reply to the allegations against the organisation following the Thiruvananthapuram University College clash. “The students uphold SFI’s politics by dismissing the negative campaign against the organisation. We contested the election with the memories of Abhimanyu M and campaigned against communal politics on campuses. We were able to wrest back power in Ilahia College of Arts and Science, Muvattupuzha, Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha and MES College, Kunnukara,” said Amal C K, district president, SFI Ernakulam.
However, the district wing of KSU refuted the claims of SFI. “Out of the total 52 colleges in the district, only 29 had elections on Wednesday. The university has stayed elections in eight college due to various reasons. We have won in 11 colleges. We managed to come to power in Kalady Sri Sankara College after 17 years, Aluva UC College after seven years and M A College, Kothamangalam after five years. We have 26 university union councillors in total,” said Aloysius Xavier, district president, KSU Ernakulam.
Apart from the three colleges, the KSU district unit has claimed victory in Arafa College, Pezhakkappilly; St George College, Vazhakulam; Puthencruz St Thomas College; YMCA College, Perumbavoor; Mar Kuriakose College, Perumbavoor; BPC College, Piravom; BMC Law College, Choondi; and KMM College, Thrikkakara.
FULL HAUL IN VYPEEN COLLEGE
At the Government Arts and Science College, Vypeen, which made it to the headlines following the clash between activists of SFI and AISF, the former emerged victorious. Unlike last year when all SFI candidates were unanimously elected, this time, there was a tussle between both outfits in two seats.
However, CPI’s students’ body considers the election as a stepping stone to future growth. “It’s still a victory for us. AISF started its unit only last year. Amidst widespread threats after the clash, we struggled to maintain our presence on the campus and forced to withdraw the decision to contest in all 11 seats.