Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM will investigate an impersonation bid orchestrated by its student wing, SFI, at Christian College, Kattakada, to place a favoured student leader at the Kerala University Union by replacing its own candidate who had won the college union election.

Puthalath Dinesan, member of the State secretariat of the left party who took part in the Thiruvananthapuram District Committee meeting on Friday, said the CPM would investigate the incident. However, the nature of the investigation was not decided at the committee meeting.

The district committee meeting concluded that the incident has embarrassed the party and denounced the conduct of SFI leader A Visakh. Some members were of the view that the party should have taken immediate action when the complaint was made.

The fraud
As reported earlier two SFI members — Aromal and Anagha — had emerged victorious for the two posts of councillor to the University Union after the college union elections were held on December 12. But the the SFI local leaders wanted to push Visakh to the leadership of the university union. Reports said manipulation was done at the college level to make Visakh the chairman of the university union.

When the names of the newly elected councillors were forwarded from the college to the university, the name of Visakh, a first-year B Sc student, was given instead of Anagha's.

Some leaders of the CPM and SFI were behind this manipulation, claimed sources.

College Principal Dr G J Shaiju had told Manorama that the girl who won as the councillor had expressed her willingness to resign, and hence, someone else was suggested. However, this cannot be done legally.

The CPM meeting, however, wondered what had prompted the principal to replace the name of the winning councillor Anagha with that of Visakh.

Visakh is the Kattakada area secretary of the SFI and local committee member of the CPM. He was suspended from the party on the basis of the preliminary investigation conducted by the district leadership.

The party’s district secretary, V Joy, referred to this controversy in the work report of the district committee.

Syndicate decision today
The university is yet to take a decision today on the impersonation incident. The syndicate meet on May 20 would discuss the issue. Punitive action is likely to be taken against college principal G J Shaiju who submitted the name of Visakh as the winning councillor by forging the papers. The explanation tendered by Shaiju is with the university.

The syndicate will also take a decision on the election process that has been suspended in the wake of the controversy.

Vice chancellor Dr Mohan Kunnummal has taken the stand that a detailed investigation is warranted into the 'fraud'.