KSU Ends Hunger Strike as HC Considers Plea Seeking Re-poll at Kerala Varma College – News18

Kerala Students’ Union’s (KSU) state president Aloshious Xavier ended his five-day-long indefinite hunger strike on Monday after the Kerala High Court considered the union’s plea seeking repolling, reported Manorama News. The court, however, refused to issue an interim order banning the winner of the Sree Kerala Varma College, an SFI candidate from assuming the post of the college union chairman.

KSU’s visually challenged chairman candidate was first elected as the winner of the election conducted at the Kerala Varma College in Trissur. However, as the KSU allegedly began celebrating, SFI was declared the winner. Congress and its students’ wing KSU alleged that this was the work of the CPIM. KSU alleged sabotage by the Left student organisation during the recounting of votes.

SFI denied the allegations. The SFI activists demanded a recount of votes, which was agreed upon by the management. However, as the votes were being recounted, it was stopped midway following protest by KSU activists. They alleged that the returning officer was the leader of a pro-Left union. “We said the recount should not be held in the night and it can be taken up on Thursday morning. But it was not accepted and the election authorities started the recount,” said KSU candidate, Sreekuttan.

KSU state president Aloshious Xavier announced an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Corporation Office here on November 2. He ended it on November 6 following the court’s order.

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, V D Satheesan said it was “sabotage” of the democratic victory. Taking to Facebook, he said that Sivadasan’s victory was the victory of democracy, and it was the decision of the students of the Kerala Varma College. But the SFI was not able toaccept KSU’s victory and sabotaged it through a midnight recounting, he alleged.

— with PTI and IANS inputs