Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) reorganisation has led to resentment in Congress. KPCC vice president V T Balram and general secretary K Jayanth have sent off letters, relinquishing their responsibilities in the KSU-Youth Congress in protest against this move.
Following this, KPCC president K Sudhakaran conveyed the resentment to AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. Sudhakaran had earlier deployed Balram and Jayanth for talks on the reorganisation of the KSU. A list was compiled after considering the suggestions from all the main leaders in Kerala and following all the norms. However, this list was altered in Delhi, prompting the protest.
The list was prepared in Kerala based on the decision that those who were married did not need to be made KSU office-bearers. But the final list announced included married members too. Women's representation has decreased. The KSU central leadership had stipulated that the number of state office-bearers should be limited to 25, but the submitted list had 46 names. However, the list that was announced had twice the number of names as the complaints being raised.
Based on the discussions held at the KPCC level, KSU state president Aloshious Xavier submitted the recommendations to the central leadership a month ago. But changes were made to this without taking the state leaders into confidence, irking the leaders.
One section has alleged that K C Venugopal and opposition leader V D Satheesan first made changes to the list. But the sources close to them have denied the allegations that any unnecessary interventions were made. As much as possible, the nominees of various leaders were also included. Apart from the official recommendation from Kerala, the central leadership also received other suggestions from the leaders.
Even when the list of Mahila Congress office-bearers was announced the other day, certain complaints also cropped up. Several of the seniors were excluded and youngsters were included, giving rise to discontent in the organisation.
But the leadership is of the opinion that some tough decisions had to be taken, while considering the shortcomings that have plagued both organisations for long.
KSU office-bearers
The KSU had announced the district presidents and state office-bearers on Saturday. Earlier, Aloshious Xavier had been declared the president and Mohammed Shammas and Ann Sebastian the senior vice presidents.
Vice-presidents: H Ananthanarayanan, Arun Rajendran, Vishakh Pathiyoor, and M J Yadhu Krishnan.
District presidents: Gopu Neyyar (Thiruvananthapuram). Anwar Sulfikkar (Kollam), A D Thomas (Alappuzha), Allen Jiyo Michael (Pathanamthitta), K N Nyzam (Kottayam), Nitin Lukose (Idukki), K M Krishan Lal (Ernakulam), Gokul Guruvayur (Thrissur), Nikhil Kannadi (Palakkad), E K Anshid (Malappuram), Gautham Gokuldas (Wayanad), V T Suraj (Kozhikode), M C Athul (Kannur), and Javed Puthoor (Kasaragod).
Apart from this, NSU president Neeraj Kundan appointed 30 general secretaries and the 43-member state executive.
