THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has nominated M Jamal Kunju, Varghese Perayil, R Gireesh Kumar, Rosamma Philip and S Anil Kumar as members of the KU Syndicate.
While the government re-nominated Jamal Kunju and Perayil - backed by Muslim League and Kerala Congress respectively - to the Syndicate, the remaining three Cong nominees in the previous Syndicate - R S Sasikumar, Jolly Jacob and B Suresh - were shown the door. Instead, the Congress has backed R Gireesh Kumar of Central University, Kasaragod, Rosamma Philip of Mount Tabor Training College Pathanapuram and S Anil Kumar of Government College for Women, T’Puram as the party’s nominees. As per the university rules, the government can nominate five members to the Syndicate - the chief executive body of the university.
According to sources, the ouster of R S Sasikumar, a nominee of the Congress ‘A’ faction, came after he forged an alliance with B S Jyothi Kumar, a Congress ‘I’ faction-backed Syndicate member. This reportedly angered the ‘A’ faction, with Cong leader George Mercier taking up the issue with the CM and the KPCC president. A recent recommendation of the University VC for a Vigilance inquiry against Sasikumar on the basis of a complaint from a Senate member, spoiled his chances for a re-nomination. A section within the Congress is understood to be unhappy with Sasikumar being left out of the Syndicate as he was instrumental in helping the UDF gain an upper hand in the University senate afer a gap of over 30 years.