Kerala College Principal Suspended after SFI’s Election Fraud Surfaces

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Two days after the Kerala University recommended the removal of G.J. Shaiju, Principal of Christian College Kattakada, after an alleged election fraud by the SFI surfaced, the management on Monday suspended him from service.

On Saturday the decision was taken during a syndicate meeting of the University asking the management to do the needful.

The meeting also decided to recommend a police probe into the entire election process and the local police have now registered cases against Shaiju and SFI top leader, Vishak.

Vishak did not contest the election, but in the list of the two councillors who won, he was included after removing the name of Anekha.

Initially, it was said that Anekha had resigned, hence the name of Vishak was included and sent to the University.

And when the fraud surfaced, Shaiju informed the University that there was an error. The Congress-led opposition and the BJP highlighted the issue.

Candidates, who win as councillors from the colleges affiliated to the Kerala University, then vote to elect the Kerala University Union.

And, when the Christian College Kattakada sent its list of councillors, instead of Anekha, the name of another SFI top leader, Vishak, who even did not contest the election, appeared.

This case had dented the image of the CPI(M) and the SFI, and it surfaced on the eve of the Pinarayi Vijayan government celebrating its second anniversary.

It has come to light that the ‘fraud’ took place with the blessings of two party legislators, one leading a section of the CPI(M) in the locality and the other who was opposed to this and took up this issue in the party.

The CPI(M) has asked both the legislators to be silent and the party has now formed a two-member committee to probe the issue.