College union polls: SFI claims victory on 30 campuses in Kozhikode

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) on Thursday claimed it has won the students’ union polls in 30 of the 48 colleges in Kozhikode district, under the University of Calicut, where elections were held on an organisational basis.

Of these, the SFI won all the seats in 14 colleges. However, functionaries of the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) and the Muslim Students’ Federation (MSF) claimed that they were able to register victories on their own and under the banner of the United Democratic Students’ Front (UDSF) in many colleges where the SFI wielded influence earlier.

UDSF activists celebrating victory in the Calicut University college union elections in Malappuram.
| Photo Credit:
SAKEER HUSSAIN

The major campuses where the SFI won include Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan’s College and Government Arts and Science College, Meenchanda, both in Kozhikode city; Government College, Madappally, Vadakara; S.N. College, Chelannur; Government Law College, Kozhikode; and CKG Memorial Government College, Perambra.

The KSU retained its union at St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, and managed to defeat the SFI at Malabar Christian College, both in Kozhikode city. The KSU-MSF combine also won the unions at government colleges in Balussery, Kunnamangalam, and Nadapuram. The MSF continued its winning streak at Farook College on its own this year as well.

Meanwhile, SFI leaders alleged that the activists of the UDSF, Congress, and the Indian Union Muslim League tried to disrupt the election process at SNES College, Kunnamangalam.